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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25523995">Come to My House, Let's die Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultra_violette/pseuds/ultra_violette'>ultra_violette</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Anxiety, Athlete!Piper, Dark past for Piper, Depression, Drugs, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Gay Percy is Annabeth's best friend, Kinda, Pipabeth AU, Piper is very gay, Slow Burn, but also not idk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:28:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>29,421</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25523995</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultra_violette/pseuds/ultra_violette</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Stealing a Ferrari from a dealership at the age of 15? For what? Annabeth could understand wanting Daddy’s attention, but auto theft? Especially when her filthy rich father could have easily bought it for her instead. And then she got away with it, too. Spoiled brats like that made Annabeth’s blood boil. In the two classes they had been in together over the last three years, Piper had been disruptive and inattentive, and it was clear the athlete didn’t feel the need to take her grades seriously. It wasn’t because she was struggling — Annabeth could have sympathised with that. No, it was obvious that she simply didn’t care. Why would she, when her money could get her into whatever college she wanted? Soccer was a rich kid’s sport in the U.S., anyway. If all the talk about how well Piper played was true, then no college would give her up, no matter how much she fucked up. As long as she could play well and make them money. </p><p>And that’s all Annabeth Chase needed to know about Piper Mclean.</p><p> </p><p>Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or any of Rick Riordan's characters.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annabeth Chase/Piper McLean, Khione/Piper McLean, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Percy Jackson/Will Solace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Wallflowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>I linger in the doorway<br/>Of alarm clocks screaming monsters calling my name<br/>Let me stay<br/>Where the wind will whisper to me<br/>Where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story<br/>— Imaginary, Amy Lee</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u">First Day of Senior Year</span>
  <br/>
  <span class="u">Annabeth</span>
</p><p> </p><p>Annabeth was frozen. She felt an awful tickling sensation crawling its way up her leg. Then on her neck. In her hair. Her ear.</p><p>
  <em>It’s not real, it's not real, it’s not real.</em>
</p><p>Her breathing became shallow, until it felt like there was no air left in the room for her to drink in. Her body was paralyzed. She tried so hard to move, to scream, but her limbs felt like they were made of stone. Her tongue seemed ten times heavier than it should be in her mouth. Her eyes darted rapidly around the room, trying to look anywhere but down at her body laying in her bed, trying to ignore the feeling of a thousand tiny little spindly legs exploring her skin like it didn’t belong to her.</p><p>
  <em>It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real.</em>
</p><p>The chant didn’t help. It never did.</p><p>All she could do now was wait it out. Trying to push herself to move only made her body ache. Trying to scream only made her feel like someone was choking her.</p><p>An eternity passed before the feeling melted away. She gasped as she regained her normal breathing, her body relaxed as the demons of the night let go of their deathly grip on her.</p><p>The creepy crawlers disappeared, and she almost cried of relief. She knew it wasn’t real — sleep paralysis was just your nightmares spilling over into your conscious state. It was a hallucination, a projection of chemicals in your brain. A mere filter put over your perception in the moments just before fully waking up. It lasted only seconds, she knew, but in those moments time didn’t exist. She was in purgatory, and all its demons would come out to greet her. She had wondered many times how long this could go on before it really started to take its toll on a person.</p><p>It had been years since the first time the spiders visited her at night, but she had grown used to them when she realised early on that no one would believe her (as used to them as an arachnophobe could get). As a little girl, she would scream for her father as soon as she was freed from her waking nightmare’s grasp, only to have her step mother enter the room with an irritated face, as if dealing with Annabeth’s “wild imagination” were some chore her father had passed on to his wife, who wasn’t happy about it either.</p><p>Your brothers are sleeping, she would say to ten-year-old Annabeth. Why do you need to make a fuss? Why can’t you be a brave girl? There are no spiders here Annabeth, I don’t want to hear it again. Go to bed, and don’t bother your father again with this nonsense.</p><p>Her step-mother seemed to think all of Annabeth’s antics were a ploy for attention from her father.</p><p>It didn’t work anyway, Annabeth thought bitterly now.</p><p>Her morning alarm started blaring, pulling her off course from memory lane.</p><p>
  <em>6.30 AM.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>She got ready in a rush, not wanting to be late for her first day back to school. Standing in front of the mirror after washing up, she ran her fingers through her curly blonde mop before deciding it wasn’t worth brushing this morning, for fear of having to go to school looking like Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries (before the makeover). She threw on a pair of cropped light wash jeans, white sneakers, and a fitted white button down sweater. Ever the curator, Annabeth loved putting together her outfits in the morning. She surely wasn’t the type to go all instagram-model, but she liked to come up with comfortable outfits that also followed a certain aesthetic, almost like she was art directing her clothes. She never went too bold, she was not one for the attention, but rather dressed for her own confidence and comfort.</p><p>Fashion was architecture and design, presentation and movement, all in one. To Annabeth, it wasn’t about owning Louboutin shoes or a Gucci bag. Not like certain girls she knew at school, like head cheerleader Drew Tanaka (cliche much?). Annabeth couldn’t afford those things even if she wanted them. To her, fashion was more like curating the perfect pieces, as if your form were the gallery space. Self expression and creative direction. And if she felt comfortable and good about herself, she’d be better prepared for the day.</p><p>A small part of her was a little hopeful, and the rest a lot nervous, curious to know what her senior year had in store. Annabeth hated not knowing. That’s why she re-watched movies she loved so often. People say they wish they could watch their favorite movie for the first time all over again, but for Annabeth the second viewing was always the best. She loved watching a movie again, this time fully aware of the ending. It was much more satisfying for her that way.</p><p>She hated not knowing.</p><p>But life was not like a movie. At least not her’s, and she definitely couldn’t skip ahead to find out what would happen.</p><p>She made her way downstairs for breakfast where she was greeted by her father, Fred, engrossed in the paper, and her step-mother, Marie, setting up the table. The smell of chocolate chip pancakes wafted through the air, and Annabeth’s stomach growled.</p><p>They lived in a three bedroom apartment in Yorkville, just big enough for them to live comfortably. Their kitchen and living room were in the same space, The kitchen at the back end of the spacious room, and the living area at the front end with light pouring in past the chiffon curtains in front of the windows, a ground level view of the street outside. Mommies with strollers, students running late with their coffee in hand, people power walking to the subway for work. Manhattan rushed by their window, like it did every morning.</p><p>For breakfasts they would sit at the kitchen table, since the little dining room across the hall was much more formally decorated; a mahogany dining table, straight back dining chairs with blue velvet cushioning, a little chandelier overhead, and all the pricey silverware stowed away for dinner parties in the matching mahogany cabinet at the back of the room. That room was strictly for dinners, according to Mrs. Chase. Annabeth didn’t mind this rule, since she liked to eat breakfast in sunnier spots, and the light from the living room windows were much brighter than those in the dining room.</p><p>Annabeth’s father wasn’t particularly well off, but they weren’t struggling either. She just wished he’d spend less time giving in to his wife’s homemaking demands and realize that Marie’s interior design fantasy was gonna cost him more than he realised in the long run. There were better things to spend their money on.</p><p>“Have a seat dear, they’re almost ready,” Her step mother smiled, but it didn’t reach her brown eyes. Annabeth sat at the teak wood kitchen table across from Bobby and Mathew, her younger twin half-brothers, who were starting their first day of eighth grade today. They looked just like their mother, her Vietnamiese heritage visible in their features.</p><p>They were quiet boys for their age, never caused much trouble at home or at school. Sometimes Annabeth wondered if their overbearing mother had fucked them up for life, doomed to be wallflowers for eternity. Then she would realise how harsh she was being and stop herself. She had no problems with her little half brothers, it’s just that she barely knew them, even after about ten years. It was… sad, actually.</p><p>Her step mother began to set the pancakes down at the center of the table, snapping Annabeth out of her daze. She had been staring at Mathew, who was now just staring back, no reaction, completely blank faced. Orange juice filled up everyone’s glass as their mother went around the table with a carton, all while her dad sat at the head of the table, his blond head barely visible over the morning paper. Annabeth wondered, not for the first time, why they both seemed so comfortable in these designated roles.</p><p>––– <b>A</b> –––</p><p>“Wise girl!” Someone tackled Annabeth from behind and she almost toppled to the ground in the hallway.</p><p>She laughed and turned around to look at her best friend, “Hey, seaweed brain.”</p><p>Green eyes rolled, “You get seaweed stuck in your ear one time —”</p><p>“Who asked you to dive that deep into the water? Besides it makes more sense than your stupid pet name for me,” Annabeth teased, reaching up to ruffle the taller boy’s dark hair.</p><p>“We weren’t allowed to swear!” Percy said defensively, swatting her hand away, and Annabeth laughed at the memory. She had been acting like a know-it-all as usual, and Percy had snapped back at her calling her a wise-ass. Considering they were sixth graders at the time, his mom hadn’t been super fond of that little nickname.</p><p>
  <em>“U-uh, I mean… wise… girl?” He tried to recover.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Nice save,” Annabeth rolled her eyes. </em>
</p><p>But unfortunately for the blonde, the nickname stuck.</p><p>“Anyway,” Percy continued now, as they walked down the hall together, “You look like hell, Chase. Couldn’t you have at least tried to get some sleep for the first day of school?”</p><p>“I did try,” Annabeth said quietly before looking up at him and shrugging helplessly. He understood immediately, and sympathy shone in his eyes.</p><p>“Again?” He asked gently.</p><p>“You know how it is.”</p><p>Percy sighed. He was silent for a ten count before his face brightened up again.</p><p>“Hey, why don’t you come over after school? I think me and Grover have just the thing that’ll help you relax,” Percy winked.</p><p>“Getting high won’t solve all my problems, Jackson.”</p><p>“No, it definitely won’t. But it’ll help you forget you have any for a while,” He said in a promising tone.</p><p>Annabeth sighed as she stopped in front of her locker. She didn’t smoke as often as Percy or Grover, but when she did indulge, she couldn’t say it didn’t help with her anxiety, or her sleeping problems. More than even just recreational, smoking was therapeutic for her.</p><p>“You've convinced me,” she conceded.</p><p>Percy pumped his fist in excitement, “Hell yeah! It’s been awhile since you smoked with us. I’ll see you after class then?” Without waiting for an answer, he hopped off the lockers he’d been leaning against, and turned to leave down the hall toward his own.</p><p>“See you,” Annabeth chuckled after him as she started taking out her books.</p><p>Then she heard that familiar, obnoxious, yet somehow always melodious, voice behind her. The voice was addressing someone else across the hall.</p><p>“Hey, don’t forget about the pregame at Frank’s! Doesn’t matter how our first game goes, we’re gonna kick this season off with a bang!” The female athlete’s powerful voice boomed through the hallway, bubbling with excitement.</p><p>Annabeth rolled her eyes. First day back at school and the Bougie Breakfast Club was already planning a party. She turned around to see who the obnoxious voice had been addressing, and her breath caught a little.</p><p>Annabeth had seen the owner of the voice, soccer prodigy Piper Mclean, in the hallway a million times before, and never felt anything but frustration and annoyance. But this time was different. Piper was different.</p><p>The most obvious thing was that she’d gotten a haircut. Her long tangled brown locks had been transformed into a choppy shoulder-length long bob, making her look even more rough-around-the-edges than before. It fell around her face in imperfect waves, dyed lighter brown at the tips. Her clothes were different, too. Instead of the baggy sweatshirts and hoodies everyone was used to seeing her in, she was wearing a black leather jacket over a plain white T-shirt that clung to her lean figure, paired with just the right fit of black skinny jeans. Her white sneakers looked very expensive. The kind you’d find exclusively at Fight Club on Broadway*. And, had she gotten a little taller?</p><p>Annabeth wasn’t the type of person to use the word “fresh” to describe someone, but that’s the only word that would come to mind right now. Piper looked good. Despite the athlete’s arrogance, Annabeth hadn’t known her to be all that into her appearance. Clearly, that had changed. The arrogance was no longer just in her words, or her actions, but she seemed to exude confidence — over confidence, in Annabeth’s opinion.</p><p>The brunette now had her arm around a smaller Latino boy, Leo Valdez, the one she had been addressing about the party. A bunch of her other athlete friends, both from the guys’ and girls’ team were gathered around, goofing off, clearly pumped for whatever rager they were throwing. Annabeth didn’t know Piper well — or at all, truthfully. She’d never even spoken to the girl. But she knew Leo very well. To this day the blonde couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that someone like Leo, who Annabeth had come to know as down to earth, could be such close friends with someone like Piper. It’s not even like he was one of the athletes, Leo wasn’t particularly gifted in that department. He didn’t need to hang around her, he chose to. Granted, their friendship went all the way back to elementary school, which he claimed was before Piper had gotten such a big head, but still. Why would he subject himself to being around her and the kind of people she hung out with? Annabeth just didn’t get it.</p><p>Percy would tell Annabeth that she was being too harsh. They didn’t even know the athlete, or what her life was like. All their judgments were based off of the things other people who also barely knew her said about her. He was right, Annabeth knew, but at the end of the day she had heard enough about Piper to know she didn’t like the girl.</p><p>Stealing a Ferrari from a dealership at the age of 15? For what? Annabeth could understand wanting Daddy’s attention, but auto theft? Especially when her filthy rich father could have easily bought it for her instead. And then she got away with it, too. Spoiled brats like that made Annabeth’s blood boil. In the two classes they had been in together over the last three years, Piper had been disruptive and inattentive, and it was clear the athlete didn’t feel the need to take her grades seriously. It wasn’t because she was struggling — Annabeth could have sympathised with that. No, it was obvious that she simply didn’t care. Why would she, when her money could get her into whatever college she wanted? Soccer was a rich kid’s sport in the U.S., anyway. If all the talk about how well Piper played was true, then no college would give her up, no matter how much she fucked up. As long as she could play well and make them money.</p><p>And that’s all Annabeth Chase needed to know about Piper Mclean.</p><p>Annabeth grabbed the last of her stuff out of her locker and practically stomped down the hall to her first class of the day, trying hard to stay focused on the anger she felt toward Piper, being as she was deathly afraid of some of the other feelings that had almost made their way out.</p><p>–––<b> A </b>–––</p><p>The rest of the day went by without incident. Annabeth got through her classes, and was already establishing good relationships with her senior teachers. She stopped by the english department’s office to check in that everything was in place for her to begin her role as a tutor.</p><p>Seniors at their school had an opportunity to help tutor their peers in a variety of subjects, and this year Annabeth would be an english tutor — specifically, literature. She hadn’t wanted to do it at first, but Percy and her best friend Rachel had convinced her there was no one better for the job.</p><p>
  <em>“Are you kiddin’ me blondie?” Rachel teased, “You’re a natural at teachin’ people shit they don’t know, and making it stick. What better job for a know-it-all like you?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah wise girl, you’ll get to be your best bossy self — and it’ll look good on a college application, plus the extra credit,” Percy chimed in. </em>
</p><p>Now that the first week was here, she was actually really excited. There was nothing Annabeth loved more than a good book, and to be able to discuss those books she loved with students who actually wanted to take the opportunity to learn and improve — she couldn’t wait. She couldn’t wait to hear their insight, the different perspective each student would have, the discussions they would have about Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, George Orwell, Homer, Sappho — she could go on for ages.</p><p>For all her romanticizing, though, she was well aware of the difficulties of the job. Keeping students motivated and actually managing to help them improve, and stay improving, was her goal. It wouldn’t be easy, because the only reason a student would opt for a tutor was because they were really struggling. Getting a tutor was voluntary at their school, not mandatory, so Annabeth was free of ass-holes who couldn’t care less to actually try, only showing up to get a slip signed saying their ass had been in the chair across from her’s for at least an hour.</p><p> </p><p>By 3:00 PM that afternoon Annabeth was walking toward 2nd Avenue with Percy, toward the Q Train, riding uptown as far as it would take them before walking the rest of the way to his place on 105th street. It was a much longer journey from school compared to the two blocks to her place, but there was no way they could get high at her house. Marie Chase would have their heads, and somehow manage not to get blood on the carpet.</p><p>They had met up with Grover outside the school’s entrance so Percy could give him some money to go pick up the stuff with his girlfriend Juniper, who apparently knew this guy who sold the most premium shit. Juniper was an expert on all things Cannabis, and it was actually pretty impressive. Not just where to get the best quality for a good price, but the best strains, hybrid ratios etc. for any given situation. Annabeth had had some very interesting conversations with the girl, giving her different scenarios and Juniper telling her the best recipe for each one.</p><p>Wanna relieve some stress and get creative? Maybe focus on a project, brainstorm wild ideas? Some sativa-heavy pot is just right for you. Wanna kick back, forget all your troubles for a while? Maybe get a good night's sleep? What you need is some indica — which was exactly what was being picked up right now as per Annabeth’s request.</p><p>The couple would join them back at Percy’s with about an eighth, more than enough for one joint, and just enough to last Percy the rest of the week. Annabeth was a little sad Rachel wouldn't be joining them, but she had a portfolio class after school once a week, to help her get ready to apply for her dream art colleges.</p><p>Rachel was the only student who fell on the more well-off side of the Class Spectrum that Annabeth wasn’t bitter toward. They had met on the first day of highschool and the blonde never would have guessed her Dad was some rich Manhattan Mogul. She had shown up in tattered jeans sprayed with paint, an oversized flannel that had to have been thrift store bought, and beaten up old converse, her frizzy red hair like a sunset halo around her head.</p><p>They had met in their freshman art class, Annabeth captivated by the carless strokes of Rachel’s brush, the way she let the paint splatter on the canvas, not worrying about where the droplets might fall. Rachel wasn’t precious about her work at all. She didn’t agonize over the correct color to use in the correct place. She had an instinct, and she relied on it solely. Annabeth had watched back and forth between Rachel’s canvas and her own, envious of the freedom in the former’s work.</p><p>Annabeth was nothing like that. She deliberately chose the starting point of every pencil line and brush stroke, calculated every composition. She chose her colors conservatively, working her way up if she needed to. She did her best to make everything exactly how it should be, how her brain told her it was supposed to be. She was a perfectionist, there was no doubt about it. But one had to be, if one wanted to erect mighty monuments and beautiful buildings one day.</p><p>“So,” Percy snapped her out of her memories, “That whole paralysis thing starting up again?” He asked as he pulled out a pack of camels and popped one out.</p><p>“Sleep paralysis, not actual paralysis,” Annabeth corrected. They had gotten off the Q on 96th street, now walking up to Percy’s.</p><p>She eyed the boy’s cigarette as he placed it between his lips and lit up. Annabeth didn’t approve of smoking. Sure, she’d had a few drags herself, here and there if someone offered, but never even so much as carried her own. Percy on the other hand… she’d stopped arguing with him about it a long time ago.</p><p>“Still fucking scary. Unable to move, vividly hallucinating your worst fears. I don’t know what I’d do if that shit happened to me, I’d probably wet the bed,” He took a drag and blew out, his face angled away from Annabeth so that the smoke didn’t get in her face.</p><p>“Well then I guess I’m tougher than you, Jackson,” Annabeth chuckled, as she took the cigarette from him and took a drag, mostly just to put more emphasis on her statement.</p><p>Percy laughed out at that as she handed the smoke back to him. “Never argued that, Chase.”</p><p>They made it back to his place, which was as empty as it always was in the afternoon. His mom’s shift at the candy store a few blocks down wasn’t over till five on weekdays, seven on weekends.</p><p>They set down their bags in Percy’s room and set off to the deli across the street, getting as many cookies, chips, candy and sodas as they could carry. They always got a discount because the owner had a huge crush on Percy’s mom.</p><p>Once they made it back, they settled in Percy’s room and waited for their friends to come join them.</p><p>“Anything happen this summer that you didn’t tell me about?” Annabeth spoke suddenly. They had been sitting on the small sofa in front of Percy’s bed, his TV on infront of them.</p><p>“Hunh?” Percy grunted, not turning his face away from the TV. But Annabeth knew him well enough to know when he was acting dumb on purpose.</p><p>“Oh nothing, just wondering …” Annabeth thought carefully before asking her next question, “You wouldn’t happen to know my neighbours would you? The Solace’s.”</p><p>Percy tensed before taking his eyes off the tv and barely tilting his face to look at Annabeth. After a moment, however, his shoulders relaxed and he let out something between a laugh and sigh. “Well, fuck.”</p><p>“You think I wouldn’t notice you sneaking in and out of my neighbours’ window in the middle of the night?” Annabeth giggled, “I have insomnia and shit, remember? I see everything that goes on in the dark.”</p><p>Percy shoved her away as she laughed harder, trying to hold in his laughter himself.</p><p>“I’m hurt, Perce,” She teased, “You always tell me about all your boyfriends.”</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry. The only reason I didn’t say anything is because Will isn’t exactly ready to be all out and proud.”</p><p>Annabeth rested a hand on his shoulder at that, “I’m just messing, I totally get it. Don’t worry about it, nobody’ll find out anything from me.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Percy smiled at her.</p><p>“So is that still a thing, or was it more like a summer fling?”</p><p>“Ah, It’s not as easy to sneak around once school starts, so we just left it at that. Besides, it was fun to have a hot summer with him but I'm not tryna go back in the closet, ya know?”</p><p>A sudden moment of nervousness took over Annabeth, though she didn’t understand why. Her anxiety was up and down a lot, but she could never pinpoint any triggers. She forced herself to take a deep breath and calm down before Percy noticed.</p><p>“No, yeah,” She managed, “Totally get it.”</p><p>She was saved by the bell, as Percy got up to get the door and let their friends in. She heard them shuffling into the entrance room and then down the hall back to Percy’s room. In that much time she forced herself to breathe, clear her mind, as her anxiety faded.</p><p>“I see we’re well prepared,” Grover nodded at the pile of junk food at the foot of Percy’s bed as he walked in, his curly brown hair a tousled mess as usual.</p><p>“I call dibs on the twizzlers!” Juniper squeaked as she grabbed the only packet the deli had left. She was a pretty girl, Annabeth had noticed many times before, with warm olive skin and auburn hair that seemed to glow red in natural light.</p><p>Percy took the little medicine bottle from grover, which had been painted all around with bright colors and stoner slogans, a branded sticker at the top of the bottle cap.</p><p>“They brand their shit now?” Percy raised an eyebrow, surprised.</p><p>“Most of the more legit ones, yeah,” Grover said, “As legit as you can be as long as weed is still illegal in New York State.”</p><p>“Damn,” Percy grabbed a nug from the bottle and put the rest away. Then he got to work at his desk, which his mother had bought him for studying but was rarely used for that.</p><p>Five minutes later, they were passing a perfectly rolled joint around, Percy and Annabeth sprawled on the bed as she watched him play candy crush on his phone, Grover and Juniper giggling and pecking at each other at the foot of the bed. Music played on Percy’s bluetooth speakers, easily recognizable to Annabeth. The White Stripes were one of Percy’s go to bands when getting smacked.</p><p>“Why don’t you see a doctor about it?” Percy spoke up suddenly, eyes still glued to his game.</p><p>“About what?” Annabeth asked, her brain a bit foggy as the first round started to seep in.</p><p>“Your nightmare stuff,” He said as his thumbs twiddled away.</p><p>“You still on that?” Annabeth groaned, “I told my PCP, she looked as freaked as my parents.”</p><p>Percy sighed as he finally gave up on his game and squirmed on the bed to face her.</p><p>“You need to see a sleep specialist, Annabeth.”</p><p>“You need to see a brain specialist.”</p><p>“Funny.”</p><p>“I am.”</p><p>“I’m serious,” Percy looked her dead in the eye now, “Annabeth, this has been on and off for years, and whenever it comes back around it really takes a toll on you. You don’t sleep, you don’t eat, you lose focus on school.”</p><p>“I’ve never failed a single class,” Annabeth pointed out.</p><p>“Yeah, but you end up struggling a lot harder than you would need to in order to achieve that, if you had just had a good night's sleep,” Percy shot back.</p><p>Annabeth just stared back at him now, as Juniper crawled over the bed to offer her the last few puffs of the joint. She took a drag and looked away.</p><p>She thought back to the first time it had ever happened to her, how terrified she had been.</p><p>You see at the age of ten, Annabeth had no idea what sleep paralysis was, and that there was a scientific explanation for the not uncommon phenomenon that she experienced on many nights. It had driven the young girl mad, seeing and feeling spiders in her bed every night, experiencing them as she would any reality. And yet they disappeared everytime she found her voice again, leaving her no way to show her step mother proof of their existence.</p><p>It had driven her so mad, in fact, that by the end of the second week of these sinister nightly occurrences, she’d simply not come home from school.</p><p>She had made it all the way to the front door, but couldn’t bring herself to walk inside, knowing she’d have to sleep in her bed again, where the spiders were waiting for her. She lived only a few blocks away from her elementary school, so she walked herself home everyday. She’d never failed to come home before.</p><p>Needless to say, Mr. and Mrs. Chase had gone into a panic after only fifteen minutes, Mrs. Chase walking to the elementary school with her two boys to see if Annabeth had ever left, as Mr. Chase took emergency leave from work to drive home immediately.</p><p>But little Annabeth had not intended to cause anyone to worry. She just couldn’t go home. She simply couldn’t. She was going crazy in there every night, unable to prove the things she was experiencing, even to herself. And yet they came back every night, an army of tiny black creatures with unnaturally disproportionate legs, swallowing her up in an ocean of her worst fears.</p><p>So instead she’d turned around and headed in the opposite direction, toward the one person she knew would take her in for the night. The one place she could escape to.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Annabeth rang the bell but didn’t have to wait long for the little boy to answer. The door swung open and green eyes met Annabeth’s grey. The boy's cheeks lifted up in the most excited grin.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Percy Jackson, how many times have i told you not to answer the door without…” A melodious voice called out sternly from the hall inside, but faded softly as it’s owner got closer to the door.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Annabeth,” Percy’s pretty mother looked down at her with her hazel eyes, and Annabeth swore she could feel rays of sunlight on her skin from the woman’s warm smile. “I didn’t know you were coming over today?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh,” Annabeth’s eyes flashed to Percy for barely a second before they settled back on his mother, “Did my mom forget to call you? Percy and I were going to have a sleepover today, since it’s Friday.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Percy understood immediately, bless his heart.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah mom!” He looked up at her with a big smile, “We planned it, like, weeks ago, remember I told you? Did you forget?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The woman furrowed her eyebrows and ran a hand through her wavy brown hair before sighing, “I guess I did. Come on in Annabeth.” </em>
</p><p>As Annabeth stepped inside she heard a familiar and unpleasant voice call out from the living room.</p><p>
  <em>“SALLY?” the ugly, scruffy voice boomed, “WHERE’S MY SEVEN LAYER CHEESE DIP?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sally sighed and gave the two children a small smile.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Why don’t you two head upstairs to Percy’s room. I’ll bring you both some snacks in a minute.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The rest of the day went by with Annabeth telling Percy why she was really there, him being already familiar with her little nightly visitors. He was the only one who had believed her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You can stay here as long as you need to,” He promised her, “They won’t get to you here. I won't let them!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Annabeth went into a laughing fit as he pulled out a lightsaber from behind his bed and proceeded to demonstrate how he would fight off the spider army.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But that night at Percy’s hadn’t gone by without incident as she’d hoped.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They had set up mattresses in the living room in front of the TV, so that they could watch movies all night without having to worry about relocating when it was time to go to bed. Now, they were finally settled down under the covers in their respective mattresses, after watching Nanny McPhee, and were gently falling asleep with every steady breath. Annabeth felt at peace for the first time in many nights.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then, a loud crash from upstairs. Annabeth flinched, and peeked over her covers at Percy, next to her on his mattress. Percy had suddenly gone very still and very pale. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What was that?” she exclaimed in a whisper.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Percy didn’t answer. A moment later there was another sound, like a muffled bang. Then a few muffled words, which Annabeth guessed were coming from the upstairs bedroom, but they were loud enough for the occupants of the living room to hear.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Who told you that kid could have a sleepover tonight? I was gonna bring the guys over and we were gonna watch the game. But you had to let that little brat take over the TV, hunh? You’re spoiling him you stupid bitch!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The muffled shouts went back and forth between the adults in the house, and Annabeth felt pain in her chest as she looked at Percy. The dark haired boy still hadn’t moved, hadn’t said a word, and hadn’t looked at her. The look on his face told her that this was far from the first time he’d overheard such an incident.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I shouldn’t have come over,” Her eyes stung as she said the words. She’d never meant to cause Percy and Sally any trouble. They clearly had enough to deal with already.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s not your fault,” Percy croaked after a long moment. “You didn’t know.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then why didn’t you ever tell me? Annabeth thought. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The fight went on, the ugly voice saying even uglier things to the loveliest woman Annabeth had ever met, and she was useless to stop it. She looked over at Percy and wondered, if this was how she felt she couldn’t even imagine the pain this was causing him. Had been causing him, for who knows how long now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She reached over and held on to his hand tight. He squeezed it back and didn’t let go for the rest of the night.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: *Fight Club is a retail &amp; consignment store for rare &amp; popular sneakers on Broadway and East 11th Street in Manhattan. </p><p>Hope you guys will like this story, its the first I've ever posted so let me know what you think! Second chapter coming very soon.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Paper Flowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Don't say I'm out of touch</em>
  <br/>
  <em>With this rampant chaos your reality</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge</em>
  <br/>
  <em>The nightmare I built my own world to escape<br/></em>
  <em>— Imaginary, Amy Lee </em>
</p><p> </p><p><span class="u"> <em> First Day of Senior Year <br/></em></span> <span class="u"> <em>Piper</em> </span></p><p> </p><p>“Piper, I want to make sure you understand what I’m telling you,” </p><p>Piper looked up to meet her counsellor’s eyes, and slowly nodded. Mr. Brunner was a nice man, and a good counsellor. He had helped Piper navigate her high school academic career since freshman year, which was help she desperately needed. He was one of the only people at the school Piper had been honest with regarding her situation at home. It had made him all the more eager to help her excel, but now all she’d done was let him down. </p><p>She met his eyes now, determined to make him see she took this seriously. Or, at least, she was trying to. </p><p>“I have to make up for the credits I lost by failing my english class last semester, or I won’t be able to graduate at the end of the year,” Piper condensed everything Mr. Brunner had just told her to its simplest form. Because it really was that simple. Graduate, or don’t. Go on to play college level soccer and possibly get recruited, as everyone expects you to, or repeat senior year, all chances of an athletic scholarship down the drain. <em> It’s your choice. </em></p><p>“Yes,” Mr. Brunner sighed, “I know this isn’t news you wanted to hear. I truly thought I could convince Ms. Dodds to make an exception, but she was adamant that simply an extra credit summer assignment wouldn’t make up for your failing the class. Piper, she said you were disruptive and inattentive all throughout the semester. If you had left a better impression, perhaps she —”  </p><p>“I know. Trust me I get it, I messed up,” Piper cut in, not being able to bear the disappointment in Mr. Brunner’s voice. He’d always rooted for her, and here she was, letting him down at the last lap. </p><p>“So what are my options now? I retake the class, what, during school hours? After school? Online?” </p><p>“That is up to you. But you have to have made your decision by tomorrow. There is one thing I would strongly suggest, if I may. The school’s English Department has students, seniors like you, volunteering as tutors. It might be worth trying to seek help from one of them, just to be sure that you can stay on track this time.”</p><p>Piper suddenly sat very still, not letting her face betray any emotion. She felt sick, but fought it down before Mr. Brunner could notice. </p><p>“I don’t need a babysitter, thanks,” she said curtly.</p><p>“Piper, I just think —,” </p><p>“Don't worry Mr. B, I understand what’s at stake. I’ll focus this time, and I’ll pass. But I don't need extra help for that,” Piper grabbed her backpack and slid it over her shoulder, in a rush to leave now, “But thank you for the suggestion.”</p><p>Just as she was heading out the door, Mr. Brunner said “At least think about it, Piper.” </p><p>She pretended not to hear him and walked out with a simple wave goodbye. </p><p>Piper didn’t need a tutor. She wasn’t stupid, she just hadn’t been able to bring herself to care last semester. Ms. Dodds was the most sorry old hag Piper had ever met. How was she supposed to listen and learn from a wretched old bitch like that? The English teacher hadn’t liked Piper right from the start, and Piper had no idea why. Time after time Ms. Dodds found a reason to reprimand Piper infront of her other classmates, and if there wasn’t one she’d make it up. She had done everything in her power to make Piper feel useless. So how was the student supposed to bring herself to care about anything Ms. Dodds had to say? It seemed whatever she did would warrant the same reaction, so what was the point in exhausting her energy by <em> trying </em>? </p><p>She didn’t need a tutor. </p><p>Lost in her head, Piper instinctively found her way to the girls’ locker room. </p><p>“Look who finally decided to show up,” Coach Hedge grumbled as Piper entered the room. They had early practice today, the first day back to school, and Coach had told them to be at the locker room before 6:30 AM so that he could have “a little word with them” before they got changed for practice. It was 6:34. </p><p>“Sorry, Coach,” Piper scratched the back of her head, “I had a meeting with my counsellor this morning, too.”</p><p>“You know I don’t care. I ask you to be here at a certain time, you make sure you’re here.” </p><p>Piper nodded her head and stayed silent. If there was one authority at this school whose patience Piper didn’t try to test, it was Coach Hedge. He was big on discipline, which wasn’t Piper’s strong suit, but she tried her hardest to fall in line. It wasn’t just because soccer was the only thing she <em> actually </em> cared about, or that she had been afraid to get kicked off the team. Those had been big influencers at the start, but as time went on she grew to respect Coach Hedge, too. He could be harsh, but he cared about her and the rest of the girls. He pushed them because he truly believed they could be great. He didn’t want them slacking off thinking they would get by just by being ‘good’. </p><p>And then, last year Coach had announced that Piper would be taking Thalia Grace’s place as team captain after the older girl’s graduation. She had never felt more proud of herself, which wasn’t a feeling she was used to, though most people wouldn’t believe that with the way she acted sometimes. Soccer had given her something that she was proud of and knew she was good at. </p><p>Piper couldn’t say she hadn’t seen it coming, though. Thalia, while also a believer in tough love, had been dropping hints and preparing Piper all throughout the season in her Junior year, building her up for the job. Thalia wasn’t the type to speak too many words of encouragement or endearment, but rather motivated her team through her actions. However, when she did use her words, it was nothing short of inspiring for the team. She was especially good at hyping them up for games, which had proven to keep the morale up on more than one occasion, even if they weren’t leading on goals. Thalia had been a great leader, and while Piper was overjoyed to be taking on the honor, she was also very anxious that she wouldn’t be able to fill her former captain’s shoes. Thalia had been accepted at Stanford, obviously a Division I college, on a full athletic scholarship. </p><p>It didn’t help that Thalia was Piper’s boyfriend’s older sister. It just felt like pressure from all around. </p><p>Here Piper was, as captain, two days away from their first game of the season, and she was late. Didn’t matter by how long; even if it had just been a minute, it wasn’t befitting for a leader to be the last one to join her team. She was disappointing people all around today. </p><p>So, nothing new.</p><p>Coach gave her one last stern look before turning to the whole group. </p><p>“So girls,” He started, “It’s the start of our new season. We trained all summer, and you cupcakes better be ready to put that training to the test. For some of you, it’s your final season with us — ,” He glanced at me and a few of the other seniors, “ — and I want you guys outta here with a bang. I know you want that too. And you’re gonna make it happen. You will, because if you don’t it's your career on the line. I’m gonna help you get there, every step of the way, in every way that I can, but in the end it's up to you girls.” </p><p>He let that hang in the stale locker room air. If Piper said she wasn’t feeling the pressure, she’d be lying. This was the biggest season of her high school athletic career. </p><p>She’d had college recruiters contact Coach Hedge regarding her as early as her sophomore year. That was a privilege in and of itself, as usually a player would have to have their coach advocate for them. But Piper’s raw talent and obvious drive had drawn recruiters in. She had been set up for success, everyone expecting her to follow in her mentor’s footsteps and go to a Division I school, with an athletic scholarship and all. Not that she would need it, considering how much money her father had. Thalia hadn’t needed it either, her dad being the CEO of Master Bolt Enterprises. But a scholarship would still be nice.  </p><p>But now she was just at the finish line, with many options available to her to play at some of the best women’s soccer Division I teams in the country. And she had already fucked up big time. If she couldn’t pass this class, this <em> one </em> fucking class, all those grandiose goals and dreams would go right down the toilet. </p><p>The girls began to disperse to their respective lockers, as Coach turned to leave the room. Piper hadn't even heard his last few words, but was pulled out of her own head by the sudden movements around her. As Coach was leaving, he stopped next to her.</p><p>“Could I have a word with you outside, Piper?”</p><p>The young athlete’s stomach dropped a little. She was sure to be reprimanded for her tardiness. She didn’t know if she could take any more disappointed tones today, and it was only 6:45 AM. </p><p>Piper nodded quietly and followed Coach into the hallway. They stopped just outside the door and he turned to face Piper.</p><p>Coach was quite short, so he had to crane his neck to look up at her. Piper was definitely not short, but not particularly tall either. 5’7” wasn’t bad. Around Coach Hedge, though, she felt like a giant. Then again, anyone would. </p><p>“Look Pipes,” he started. Piper was surprised to hear him use the endearing nickname. It seemed he wasn’t in as sour a mood with her as she had thought. </p><p>“I know you had it rough this summer,” He continued, “A lot of changes going on at home. But you showed up for every practice and you delivered. You were as determined as ever. I need you to keep that focus. I know this whole English mess is a pain in the balls —”</p><p>“How do you know about that? I only just found out,” Piper interjected, taken aback. She had spent the summer doing an extra credit assignment to make up for her failed grade, so she and Coach had thought that was the end of the problem. But Ms. Dodds insisted on being a pain in the ass, and on the first day back to school dropped the news that it was just the beginning of her problem. Piper had been dreading relaying the information to coach all morning. </p><p>“Chiron, Mr. Brunner as you call him, let me know when he found out, as a courtesy. He and I go way back,” Coach said, uncharacteristically gently. Then his voice gruffed up again.</p><p>“That Dodds is a bitter old hag, though. Part of me thinks she’s just tryna get to me. She and I never got along.”</p><p>Piper snorted at that. Only Coach would think this was some conspiracy theory to mess with the season and his team. He lived and breathed by their team. So did she, to be sure, but she knew the truth was that most teachers just did not like her. Piper was the farthest thing from ‘teacher's pet’. </p><p>“Anyway, what matters here, cupcake, is that you’re gonna ace that class, and you're gonna get us to the finals this season. I know you will, because I know you want it. You want that win, and you want that scholarship.”</p><p>Piper spoke up, and this time with more conviction. Something in Coach's words reminded her why she was here in the first place. She was here to win. She wanted all the satisfaction and pride that came with winning. She wanted to see the splitting grins on her teammates faces as they ran toward her after a goal. She wanted that happiness. She wanted that one thing that made her feel like she belonged somewhere. She belonged out on that field. </p><p>“Yeah. Yeah I really fucking do. And I’m gonna take it.” </p><p>That brought a huge grin to Coach’s face. He may be big on discipline, but a little swearing here and there never hurt anybody in his book. </p><p>“There’s my girl. Now get out there and be a leader. Show those girls the support and motivation they need from their <em> captain </em>.” </p><p> </p><p>––– <b>P </b>–––</p><p> </p><p>After practice, Piper was the first back to the locker room to shower and change. Once she was all cleaned up and getting ready to leave, her co-captain and friend, Reyna Ramirez-Arellano approached her locker. Reyna had just been about to head into the showers, so she was stripped down to her sports bra and underwear, which definitely did not help Piper focus on the headphones she was struggling to untangle.  </p><p>Reyna was the winger for their team. A difficult job, which required a lot of stamina, but she played it well. <em> Exceptionally </em>well. Piper was the team’s forward, which meant that she and Reyna worked closely on the field as teammates. Over the years they had become more and more in-sync, becoming a deadly duo. The amount of times Reyna had perfectly and gracefully assisted Piper to a goal was a testament to how well they worked as a team. Reyna was also one of the best crossers Piper had ever seen, out of any of the teams they had played against. </p><p>The hispanic girl was a year older, but was a senior this year because of skipping one year of school at the age of 8, due to personal reasons that she had never really disclosed. Piper didn’t try to pry it out of her either, knowing the importance of privacy and not forcing people to tell you things before they were ready. </p><p>Reyna was beautiful. Piper had thought it the moment she had first seen her in the sixth grade, with dark hair cascading down her back like a river made of night sky. Dark, almond shaped eyes so intense you got chills just by meeting them. Warm skin that somehow always smelled like cocoa butter. Reyna was beautiful then, but now all those qualities had intensified, mixing in with her athletic figure, fierce attitude and intimidating presence. Reyna was <em> hot </em>.</p><p>Though Piper first spotted her in sixth grade, they wouldn’t become friends until a year later when they both started summer practice for the middle school soccer team. Nonetheless Piper had thought about her day and night that entire school year, convinced it was only because she really <em> really </em>wanted to be her BFF. But once they actually did become friends, the feeling of giddiness Piper had associated with Reyna wore off, as they entered into a camaraderie befitting two highly talented athletes and partners in crime. No doubt, Reyna was gorgeous, but over the years Piper had realised she wasn’t much her type in terms of romantic prospects. Not that Reyna was ever interested in her in that way, or that Piper would ever grow a pair of ovaries and make a move if she were. Not to mention the boyfriend problem. </p><p>All that didn’t mean that, right now, as Reyna stood in front of Piper with her toned stomach and long, lean legs on full display, Piper didn’t have a few thoughts that could even make Hue Hefner blush. She mentally kicked herself for yet again creeping on one of her friends. They were just friends, and Piper could never realistically think about or want a relationship like that with Reyna, but at the end of the day she was just a woman. A very gay woman, clearly. </p><p>“What was all that about this morning?” Reyna asked in a hushed tone, snapping Piper out of her trance. The older girl sat down next to her on the bench in front of the lockers. </p><p>“Oh, god,” Piper rolled her eyes at the sky, “Don’t even get me started on all that.”</p><p>Piper divulged the details of everything that had happened this morning, from finding out the news from Mr. Brunner to her chat with Coach Hedge about the situation. Reyna listened attentively, and Piper was grateful for her. She was glad she had someone like Reyna who she could vent to without fear of judgement. </p><p>When Piper was done recounting the events of the morning, Reyna sat with it for a moment, clearly wanting to say something but debating whether she should. </p><p>“What?” Piper prodded, “Spit it out.” </p><p>“About the tutor thing — just listen — I know you’re not in love with the idea,” Reyna began to speed up, afraid she’d be cut off by Piper any second now, “I know you don't really <em> need </em>one, but you’re captain now and that’s a lot of added pressure, to be expected to take an extra course while also playing a season as captain. You see, there’s this girl I know, Annabeth, she’s a good friend and from what I’ve heard she is an excellent tutor. She’s helped me out a lot, personally. I think that having someone to help you out with this extra load wouldn’t be the worst thing. I know you’re gonna choose the online option, so this way the only time you’d have to spend in person is with the tutor. Annabeth could make sure you stay focused while doing the course online, and I’ve heard she brings a new light to the subject in a way that makes it more engaging to the student. That was your main issue right? The teacher put you off of the subject. This would fix that problem!”</p><p>Reyna eyed Piper hopefully, and that actually made the younger girl smile a little. Despite Piper’s deep discomfort at the topic (unbeknownst to Reyna), she couldn’t help but revel in the moments when Reyna acted like a pleading child. It was very rare. </p><p>“I’m impressed, you only just found out about all this but you already had a speech planned for it? You really are as organised as they say. It’s scary.” Piper teased.</p><p>“Shut up, McLean” Reyna laughed, but was still watching Piper expectantly. </p><p>After a few moments, Piper gave in. “Okay. Fine. I’ll play teacher-student with your little tutor friend. Only because you asked so nicely.” </p><p>Truthfully, Piper wasn’t considering it at all. She just saw this as a good opportunity to show Reyna, Coach Hedge, and Mr. Brunner that she was serious about taking credit recovery seriously. She could show up to one appointment with this tutor only to claim it didn’t work out for her. No one could then accuse her of not trying, and hopefully they’d get off her back. </p><p>Yeah, that sounded like a plan. <em> Just one appointment, </em> she told herself, <em> you can get through that much. </em> This was only a fellow-student tutor, no big deal. But she wasn’t going to actually attend regular sessions after that one appointment. </p><p>Not after her last experience. </p><p>Reyna beamed, “Yes! You won’t regret it I promise. I’ll text you the email of the people who manage the tutors’ appointments and you can schedule it with them.” </p><p>“Alright, you do that,” Piper shook her head and chuckled. </p><p>Reyna could be stern and severe on the field, yes, but if you were someone she cared about you had the privilege of seeing her warm and motherly side. She cared about her friends. Piper loved the way she always showed genuine concern for whatever hardship her teammates were going through, helping them find the best solutions, or, when there weren’t any, just being there as part of a support system. She made a great co-captain, and the other teammates had always seen Reyna as a leader. There was no one else Piper would have wanted by her side out there. </p><p>“You’d better get going,” Reyna said, rising from her seat to head over to the showers, “I have a free period, but the bell is about to ring and <em> you </em> really can’t afford to be late to any classes.” </p><p> </p><p>––– <b>P</b> –––</p><p> </p><p>The rest of the morning went by relatively smoothly, but that wasn’t saying much given the bumpy start. </p><p>Her classes weren’t too bad, and she found herself actually trying to do better this semester. She had paid more attention, taken proper, legible notes, and even participated a few times in her last few classes. But she still didn’t trust herself. It was always easy to feel like you were going to make a fresh start for yourself on the first day back to school. It was like the first day after new years, thinking you’re actually going to go through with all your resolutions.</p><p>Piper was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. </p><p>At lunch she made her way to her little lunch table with her little lunchbox friends. They all greeted each other around the table; for most of them this was the first time they had seen each other since last semester. And Piper was more than okay with that. There were certain faces at that table Piper was happy not to see during summer break. </p><p>One such face the athlete could have gone without seeing for the rest of her life, and yet it had turned out to be the face she’d seen every single day this past summer. It was like some sick joke. </p><p>Drew Tanaka, her middle school terrorizer turned head cheerleader, was Piper’s new step-sister as of summer. It was a pretty straight forward story: Drew’s famous fashion designer mother fell for Piper’s super famous actor dad, and they had gotten married all over the tabloids in May and subsequently moved into Piper’s Park Avenue penthouse apartment (try saying that five times fast). Poor Piper’s life was one big joke and this was the punchline.  </p><p>Drew was ruthless, and had been nothing short of traumatizing to Piper in the seventh grade, along with her ice cold side-kick Khione. But by freshman year of high school, as Piper had started to make a name for herself as the promise of one of the greatest soccer players not just at their school, but their district had would ever see, the girls had no choice but to back the hell off. That had ended up making the head cheerleader even more bitter, and even though Piper was pretty much untouchable now, that didn’t stop Drew from acting out her passive aggressive bull-shit. It had only gotten worse since she moved in with Piper and her dad, where she wouldn't be caught by their other friends. </p><p>See, in 9th grade it became clear that Drew couldn’t actually continue tormenting Piper — not if she wanted to stay on the good side of the school’s sports teams, boys or girls. The girls team was seriously respected, and it had become increasingly clear that Drew wouldn’t get away with getting on the bad side of someone as important on the team as Piper. It was also clear that the boys and girls sports teams got on really well at this school, and if Drew wanted anything to do with any of those boys (and she desperately did) she couldn’t go around messing with one of their teammates-in-spirit. </p><p>Piper was now the captain of her team, but before her Thalia Grace had done quite a job of getting both soccer teams of the school  to develop a very satisfying camaraderie. The old captain had always thought the separation between men and women in sports was way too exaggerated, exhausted and outdated. She understood having separate teams, but she always said there was no reason they shouldn’t celebrate together, learn from each other, play together, and in general just have less ‘otherness’. Thalia wasn’t stupid, she knew that to make women’s sports matter to people in a man’s world, she’d need to enlist the help of the very people who were, willingly or not, keeping women’s sports from being what it could.</p><p>Charles Beckendorf, the captain of the boy's soccer team at the time, had agreed with her a thousand percent, and supported her in her efforts to get all teams to show interest and mingle with athletes all across the board. They created alliance clubs, showed up for each other's games when they could, played friendly games together, and even the cheerleaders, at the time led by Beckendorf’s girlfriend Selena Beaureguard, started showing up for men’s <em> and </em> women’s games. This of course meant Drew had to cheer for Piper this year, and Piper took some pleasure in imagining that. </p><p>But those were all changes they’d made in the school. What Piper <em> really </em> enjoyed out of her upperclassmen's efforts were the total ragers that were thrown when either team won an important game, and especially if they won the season. Soccer wasn’t known as an elite sport in the United States for no reason, and many of the kids came from serious money, Piper included. This resulted in some wild parties in huge penthouses, or beach houses, with almost no supervision thanks to absent parents on exotic business trips. The teams had gotten seriously close since the last one at the Grace's Hamptons beach house, after both teams had won their season. Nothing made you good friends like getting shit faced together after an epic win like that. It was also an inauguration, Thalia announcing that Piper was next in line to take her crown, and equally proud to announce that her baby brother, Jason, would be taking Beckendorf’s. That was also the night that Piper had finally answered Jason’s question, one he had asked her weeks before. </p><p> </p><p>“Congrats, soon-to-be captain,” Piper had bowed before the blond boy with a mock solemn expression, oh so many months ago at the celebratory party. </p><p>“Right back atchya, your grace,” Jason chuckled as he curtseyed back, the irony of his choice of words not lost on him.</p><p>Piper had left the crowd-gone-wild downstairs to use Thalia’s bathroom on the second floor, and had spotted her friend Jason on the way back, standing alone outside on the terrace at the end of the hallway of bedrooms. His back was to her, staring down at the restless waves below in the cold winter night. His silhouette seemed to glow against the moonlight, illuminated by a silvery outline. His blond hair looked white. If Piper had been just a little more faded, she might have thought she’d seen an angel. </p><p>But standing in front of him, his blue eyes bloodshot and his words slurring slightly, she could be sure he was just her drunk best friend. </p><p>Piper laughed back at him, and then asked, “Aren’t you freezing?” </p><p>Jason shrugged, “Too drunk to notice, I guess?” </p><p>That sent them both into another fit of giggles. </p><p>“What are you doing out here?” Piper asked after she’d caught her breath.</p><p>“Just… thinking,” he shrugged. </p><p>“Use your words, sparky,” Piper chided. Jason smiled at the nickname, given to him after a particularly hazardous attempt to ‘fix’ Piper’s PS4 in tenth grade. No FIFA matches that semester. </p><p>Jason was silent for a moment before he sighed. Piper had a feeling she knew what was coming.</p><p>“I don’t want to pressure you, or guilt trip you into anything,” He started carefully, “It’s just that I’ve been waiting patiently for you to get back to me. And you haven’t said a word about it since I asked you two weeks ago. I know you had just won the season and you probably needed time to process it all, maybe I shouldn’t have asked you then. But I was so happy, we all were, finding out that <em> both </em> teams had won, I mean, I guess I got a little excited,” Jason was talking a mile a minute now, “and jumped the gun. I can admit that. So I thought it was only fair to give you space and time to think about it. But Piper if you don’t want to be with me, you can seriously just say so. I promise I won’t be mad or end our friendship. I might need some space but with some time we’ll be totally fin—”</p><p>“Oh my god, Jason,” Piper gently put a hand on the boy’s shoulder, trying to calm him. She hadn’t realised just how much her silence was affecting him. </p><p>Of course she hadn’t, that was a classic Piper move. So wrapped up in her own inner-turmoil and how she was experiencing things, that she didn’t even think to consider how the person on the other side might be feeling. Truthfully, ever since Jason had asked her out that night after their championship win, Piper had been fighting a war in her head. The kind-eyed boy, bless his heart, had immediately added, after his question, that she didn’t need to give him an answer right away, sparing her the awkwardness of having to respond after being so caught off guard. She surely would have said something damagingly stupid in her adrenaline fueled state. </p><p>Since then, she had spent every minute of every hour of every day thinking about how she would respond. Jason was her best friend, the coolest guy she’d ever hung out with. They’d had a friendly competition going on since they’d met in ninth grade, whether it was in real life matches or the ever more intense virtual matches in FIFA. Her friendship with Jason had pushed her to be better and better at the game at every step, whether the game was soccer or life itself, and she knew it had been the same for him. She just hadn’t realised his perception of their relationship had developed beyond that of friendship. </p><p>“Yes,” She replied quietly now, her teeth chattering slightly from the cold wind blowing on the terrace. She surprised even herself as the word fell out of her mouth, almost like an accident. </p><p>Jason actually looked surprised, like he genuinely had not expected that answer. But it only lasted a moment before the shock turned into pure joy. His grin was so big she thought his face would split, his cheeks turning red from the excitement. He swooped her up in a big hug, even lifting her off the ground, and she couldn’t help but laugh. That lovely boy’s joy was contagious. </p><p>And he was lovely, the loveliest boy in all the land. But Piper couldn’t love him. She’d try and try, for the next couple months, until she just couldn’t try anymore, and she’d get nowhere. So it begged the question why she had said yes, when in her heart she knew this wouldn’t end up making either of them happy. </p><p>Because it made him happy now, and Piper couldn’t bear to take that away from him. He’d done so much for her, she felt like she owed it to him to give it a chance. She knew somewhere in the back of her mind that this was wrong on every level — people didn’t owe each other things like that. But nonetheless she couldn’t shake the guilt. And she figured if she was ever going to give a boy a chance, this would be the one, right? Who better to turn her away from her unnatural thoughts and desires than the all American golden boy? </p><p>So there she sat now, at the lunch table about half a year later, the first day of senior year, with Jason’s arm slung around her shoulder as he goofed off with his other teammates across from him. Reyna sat beside her as the two of them went over their game plan for the first match of the season. Then there was Drew, sitting across from Piper, eyeing her with a hint of something wicked (envy, perhaps?). Khione sat next to her best friend, giving Piper a wicked look of her own, but it wasn’t the same as Drew’s. It was one that Piper had come to know the meaning of all too well. </p><p>Khione excused herself from the table, not taking her eyes off Piper as she rose, until she promptly turned to walk out of the cafeteria and into the hallway. </p><p>Suddenly Piper had to use the little girls’ room, excusing herself from the table as well. But when she got to the hallway she walked right past the bathrooms, past the lockers, and toward the old props room that no one used anymore, because the school had invested in a state of the art auditorium with a fully furnished backstage, for the theatre department. </p><p>She barged into the room, closing the door behind her, to find the raven-haired cheerleader standing in the midst of an ocean of ridiculous costume accessories, trees made of plastic and cardboard (the irony), and an unnecessary amount of paper flowers. </p><p>Her red lips looked like a blood stain on snow against her pale skin. Piper couldn’t help but compare her to Snow White every time she saw her. </p><p> </p><p>Lips red as rose, </p><p>hair black as ebony, </p><p>skin white as snow. </p><p> </p><p>“How was your summer?” Khione asked in a cool tone, not seeming in the least bit phased that the girl who was supposed to be her sworn enemy had followed her down the hall.<br/><br/>“You know how my summer went,” Piper raised an eyebrow, her voice velvety, just as comfortable. She began to slowly step closer. </p><p>“Do I?” Khione teased, pouting her lips. “I don’t remember …” </p><p>“No?” Piper asked, now halfway to Khione at the other end of the room. </p><p>“No,” Khione shook her head and flashed pleading brown eyes at Piper, who was drawing nearer, “Remind me?”</p><p>Piper took one last stride, closing the distance between herself and the shorter girl. Khione looked up at her from under long dark eyelashes, an angle Piper had come to enjoy more than she would like to admit. </p><p>“With pleasure,” Piper smirked, grabbing Khione by the hair at the back of her head — not too rough, but not too soft either — and tilting her head back before she pressed her lips into the other girl’s. Khione let out a soft, short moan that sent a tingle up Piper’s spine, and <em> god </em> if she was going to go to hell for this at least Khione would be there to keep her company. </p><p>She brought her lips down to Khione’s icy throat — why was her body always cold? — as the smaller girl let out another soft moan that sent Piper reeling. Piper’s hands found their way up her skirt, brushing past her thighs to grab her tight little ass (another moan), before bringing one hand between her legs. This was the only part of Khione’s body that was never cold — not when Piper’s hands were there. She teased and teased, making Khione inch her hips closer to Piper’s fingers in desperation. </p><p>“Oh god, Piper, just fuck me already,” she breathed into the taller girl’s ear. That's when Piper lost her own restraint and let her hand slide into Khione’s now soaked underwear. </p><p>The sounds that tumbled out of the sexy little cheerleader’s lips, though only loud enough for Piper’s ears, were obscene. And they were enough to drown out the voices in Piper’s head telling her she was worthless trash — absolute scum.</p><p>If Piper was scum, then an arrangement like this with someone like Khione was exactly what she deserved, right? </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: Hope you like the story so far! Let me know what you think so i know if you'd like to see more of this story. it's also on wattpad, if you're on there maybe you can drop a few votes/comments:</p><p>https://www.wattpad.com/story/234499626-come-to-my-house-let%27s-die-together</p><p>Thanks!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Mantra</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> Before the truth will set you free, it'll piss you off </em> <em><br/>
</em> <em> Before you find a place to be, you're gonna lose the plot </em> <em><br/>
</em> <em> — Mantra, Bring Me the Horizon </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> Annabeth </em> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>“So how was your first student of the week?” Rachel asked, sipping on her Fanta. Just the thought of that fizzy orange flavor bubbling around in her mouth made Annabeth want to gag. </p><p>“How can you drink that?” Annabeth grimaced.</p><p>“Was it a guy or a girl?” Rachel continued, “Or, of course, they could have been nonbinary. Either way, did you like them?”</p><p>It was Thursday, Annabeth’s first day of tutoring. She had two sessions Monday, one on Thursday and one on Friday. Since the first week of classes had only started from Wednesday, today had been her first session. </p><p>“It was a boy, freshman, and yes I did quite like him. He was upfront about where and why he was struggling, and he seemed to genuinely want to improve. They’re reading<em> To Kill a Mockingbird </em> in his class–” </p><p>“–Oh, one of your favorites!” Rachel exclaimed.</p><p>“Yes,” Annabeth nodded, “and I’m so excited to help him with it. He already had such interesting insight into Boo Radley and how –”</p><p>Suddenly, the people sitting on the benches around the ramps at the skatepark collectively winced as two skateboarders collided and hit the ground. Annabeth paused mid sentence out of mild concern because one of the skaters was Percy, but she continued on as soon as she saw he was getting back up. Rachel called out at him, something about the taste of dirt. He flipped her off. </p><p>“– How Boo was kind of like the embodiment of all the fears of everyone in the neighbourhood,” Annabeth turned back to Rachel, “fearing what they don’t understand, and how much fear guided their lives and thoughts and conversations. I mean of course that’s kind of the point of his character, but this kid came to that conclusion himself, just a few chapters in! I can tell he’s interested in the book. Then again who, with even an ounce of intellect, wouldn’t be?” Annabeth let out a little laugh at her own joke.</p><p>“Okay, nerd,” Rachel rolled her eyes. There wasn’t any malice in it, Rachel was never condescending. One might think she was, if one didn’t know her very well, but little quips like that were how Rachel showed love. She was rolling her eyes <em> lovingly </em>. Names like “Nerd”, “Loser”, “Motherfucker”, were less insults and more pet names – terms of endearment, if you will. </p><p>“It got my hopes up for the rest of the students I’ll be teaching,” Annabeth smiled to herself, “They all volunteered for tutoring, so they have to be interested to some degree. Even if I get a few who are a little resistant, I’ll find a way to pull that interest out of them.” </p><p>A few people hooted at Percy as he successfully completed a Nollie Laser flip, and Annabeth and Rachel joined in the cheering, much louder and more obnoxious than the others, so as to be sure to embarrass him. Percy flipped them off as he skated past them. </p><p>“See? I told you to go for it and I was totally right. You’re gonna love doing this,” Rachel smiled and bumped Annabeth with her shoulder. </p><p>“I’m glad you guys convinced me.” Annabeth smiled back.</p><p>Rachel’s frizzy orange hair whipped about her in the breeze as she sipped her fizzy orange drink. She was the only pop of color between the gray of the skatepark and the gray of the sky. </p><p>The park hadn’t always looked this soulless. It used to be alive with color: vibrant reds, canary yellows, neon greens and pinks in the form of spray paints and ink. A jungle of swirling letters, bold symbols, and words layered upon each other so many times they were indistinguishable. It didn’t matter, because <em> they </em> knew what they’d written. The kids who came to this park daily, came to escape their troubles for a while. It didn’t matter that daddy was getting fired, or that mommy needed to work ten hour shifts to keep them afloat. For at least a few hours a day, kids could come here and pretend none of that was real; grab their skateboards and take off, try not to worry about when they’d be back. Annabeth knew how important this place especially was for Percy.</p><p>But of course, even East Harlem wasn’t safe from the Upper East Side’s gentrification. The walls were cleaned off and re painted as part of a community project to get rid of all the graffiti, as East Harlem became an ‘up and coming neighbourhood’. </p><p>Percy had always lived up here in Harlem. Annabeth, on the other hand, had gotten a chance to get out. Her family had moved to Yorkville when she was about fourteen years old, just at the start of high school, and found the cozy apartment they live in today. While she was technically an Upper East Sider now, no one would confuse her for a Park Avenue princess*. Yorkville was an affluent neighbourhood, to be sure, but you didn’t have to be crazy rich to live there. Annabeth and her now-considered-middle-class family were just lucky enough to have found their own little spot. Her father, who had up until then been working as a highschool teacher, had finally been accepted as a college professor, after years of applying and reapplying. He was accepted to a CUNY* school, so it wasn’t like they’d won the lottery or anything, but it was enough to get them out. </p><p>Rachel Elizabeth Dare on the other hand; a Park Avenue Princess if there ever was one, but no one would have guessed it. Her and her parents quite literally lived on Park and 77th, not too far a walk from Annabeth’s and yet far enough to be a whole different world. Annabeth remembered the day, back in the first few months of freshman year, Rachel had invited her and Percy to her house after school to do their science project together. </p><p>Rachel’s penthouse was formidable. Beautiful, no doubt, but thoroughly intimidating for two freshman hood rats who were not familiar with an occupation such as ‘doorman’. Annabeth and Percy were in awe. Who ever got the idea to hire someone just to open the door for you? Annabeth had wondered if the upper class was just too tired from carrying all that money around, rendering their arms useless and unable to open doors. </p><p>But they’d both quickly learned Rachel wasn’t exactly a model debutante. </p><p>They entered the front door of her home after stepping out of an elevator, into an elegant entrance room, then through the glass doors and into the living area. Floor to ceiling windows stood in place on the west facing walls of the living room, with a stunning view of Central Park. Tasteful art covered every surface, perfectly curated in a way that Annabeth could appreciate. She would later find out that Rachel’s mother was an Art Connoisseur, and she had been collecting art since she was in her twenties. Annabeth got along very well with Mrs. Dare.</p><p>A beautiful white plush sofa sat in front of the mantlepiece, a cool grey shag rug in the centre with a sleek oak wood coffee table and matching end tables to top it all off. The open kitchen behind the living room was as modern as Annabeth had ever seen one, with all white cabinets, elegant pendant lights hanging over a white marble island with stylish bar stools set up next to it. A smart fridge sat in the corner (why would you ever need to use your fridge to text someone?), an induction cooktop in place of a regular stove, and a built in oven on the next wall. Annabeth’s brain felt overloaded looking at all the kitchen appliances that, before that day, she hadn’t even known the existence of.  </p><p>But it was when Rachel led them down the hall beyond the living area and into her bedroom that Annabeth and Percy were truly taken aback. The room itself was big, with high ceilings, and floor to ceiling windows like the living room, but there was none of the elegant modern decor found in the rest of the house. Rachel’s bedroom looked more like an art studio that a painter might crash in when working on a project late at night, before returning home the next morning. </p><p>There were plants <em> everywhere </em>. English ivy vines spiraled their way down from ochre pots set on high shelves. Vermillion, magenta and marigold hibiscuses speckled the room, with little cactuses set up on her desk in the far right corner. </p><p>But the real color was brought to the room by canvases of all sizes. Some painted on every inch, some painted on just the right amount, and some incomplete. Although, Annabeth supposed that last part was subjective. </p><p>Rachel’s bed wasn’t a bed, but just a mattress with crisp white sheets set up in the corner near the window, a tiny table next to it with tiny drawers. The only other thing in the room besides Rachel’s books and art supplies was a massive closet built into the left wall where all her other belongings were undoubtedly stuffed. </p><p>“What’s that?” Percy asked, pointing to a flag nailed onto the wall gaping between the two large windows on the far end of the room. It was a prettier flag than Annabeth had ever seen before but, with all the other vibrant colors in the room, she hadn’t noticed it. It had three horizontal stripes colored hot pink, yellow, and a bright blue, in that order. </p><p>“That’s my Pan Pride flag,” Rachel said casually. </p><p>“What’s that?” Percy repeated, sounding even more confused. </p><p>“I’m pansexual, which is like,” She thought about it for a moment, “Not straight.” </p><p>“Oh, cool. Me neither,” Percy said. </p><p>Annabeth tried to swallow the horror she felt at how easily Rachel had just told two kids she’d only just met such a huge fact about herself. And how was Percy so <em> okay </em> with it? He and Annabeth had been friends for <em> years </em> before he’d been able to come out to her. How could Rachel just blurt something like that out so casually? </p><p>“What does pansexual even mean?” Annabeth said, a little more harshly than she’d meant to. </p><p>Rachel either didn’t notice the bitter tone, or chose to ignore it as she responded, “It means I don’t really care about someone’s gender identity most of the time, I just fall for whoever I like. At least, that’s what it means to me.”</p><p>“So, you like multiple genders, isn’t that just bi?” Annabeth retorted. </p><p>“Not really,” Rachel was still keeping her voice casual, but Annabeth could hear a new hint of annoyance creeping in, “It could be to some people, but for others they prefer the term pan. It means different things to different people. I mean sure, the definitions can overlap sometimes, but so what? I just like this label better.” </p><p>“That makes sense,” Percy interjected, a little preoccupied as he hovered over the cactuses on Rachel’s desk. Annabeth could just tell he was resisting the urge to prick himself. “I have this friend, she’s only into girls but she calls herself gay instead of lesbian. She just prefers that label.”</p><p>“What girl do you know whose gay?” Annabeth asked, a little too loudly. </p><p>“You don’t know her,” Percy gave Annabeth a confused look at her reaction. </p><p>Annabeth tried to brush it off as they set their bags down and settled around the room. Rachel nested into her pillows at the corner of her mattress, next to the huge window. Annabeth found an empty stool in front of a canvas and pulled it out for herself.</p><p>“What about you, Annabeth?” Rachel’s voice rang out across the room after some awkward silence, as she looked out the window in a way that <em> seemed </em> absent minded, but Annabeth felt strongly that the whole situation was intentional. </p><p>“What about me?” She asked stupidly (she knew exactly ‘what’), becoming more agitated by Rachel with each passing second the conversation went on. </p><p>“Gay? Straight? Both? Neither?” Rachel trailed her words on as if the topic was starting to bore her.</p><p>“Neither!” Annabeth exclaimed, feeling her face heat up. Rachel cracked an amused smirk at that, throwing a sideways glance at Annabeth. “I mean – no wait. Not gay. I meant I’m not gay. I’m straight.” </p><p>Annabeth suddenly became very interested in her shoes. She felt like she’d suffered a sudden onset of high fever, her face felt so hot. </p><p><em>What am I embarrassed for?, </em> Annabeth asked herself. <em> No one’s going to over analyze my words, only I do that. There’s no reading between the lines here, because I’m straight. There’s nothing to read into here. </em></p><p>
  <em>I’m straight.</em>
</p><p>They had only been fourteen back then, so Percy hadn’t quite caught on, but Rachel could be a lot more perceptive. No slight to Percy, as Annabeth hadn’t quite caught on either, not even by the age of seventeen. </p><p>As they sat at the skate park now, three years later, Annabeth watched Rachel’s pretty scarlet hair in the wind and wondered why she had been so annoyed at the topic of the other girl’s sexuality back then. She was grateful to have met people like Percy and Rachel in her life, or she was afraid she might have grown up to be some kind of right-wing homophobe. But then again, she supposed growing up in New York City would have slapped it out of her one way or another. </p><p>Percy glided over to them on his board, seemingly about to meet Rachel head-on, who flinched, the contents of her carbonated orange juice (gag) splashing all over her. This had undoubtedly been Percy’s intended chain reaction, as he came to an abrupt stop two inches away from her and went into a laughing fit, Rachel yelling obscenities at him. </p><p>Annabeth held back her giggles as she brought out some tissues from her backpack and patted down Rachel’s jeans, all while her two best friends continued taking shots at each other. </p><p>“Wannabe Tony Hawk.”</p><p>“Strawberry Shortcake.”</p><p>“Twink.”</p><p>“Muff muncher.”</p><p>“Coc-”</p><p>“Okay, enough,” Annabeth cut Rachel off, still holding back her laughter. </p><p>The two continued to make faces at each other as Annabeth wiped the remaining spilt Fanta off of Rachel’s arm. She watched the back and forth between them, a warm feeling spreading through her chest. </p><p>
  <em>Thank god for these idiots.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>––– <b>A</b> –––</p><p> </p><p>That night, Annabeth’s insomnia didn’t get any better or worse. Was having a nightmare about murdering your friends <em> worse </em> than being an arachnophobe and having a waking hallucination about an army of spiders? Was it <em> better </em>? It was subjective, at best. Not unlike Rachel’s paintings. </p><p>She looked to her bedside table. 2 AM flashed in neon blue across the screen of her digital clock. Great. </p><p>She tried desperately to rid herself of the images that burned behind her eyes. This was the one time she cursed herself for her vivid memory. </p><p>She tried not to think of herself stuffing Percy and Rachel’s lifeless bodies into the back of her father’s Prius. She tried not to remember dumping them into the East River and driving off. You see, they’d gone through Annabeth’s things, and they’d gone through her closet. Annabeth didn’t appreciate people going through her things. She didn’t appreciate how her friends had acted like it wasn’t a big deal when she’d caught them. Nothing was ever a big deal to them. Everything came easy to them. </p><p>Annabeth shook herself out of her thoughts. <em> It was just a nightmare, </em> she reminded herself. She was used to having bizarre, outlandish nightmares, but this one was a little harder to shake. By now, she knew better than to attach too much meaning to her dreams, but couldn’t help wondering why she’d seen herself murdering the people she loved and had only a couple hours ago enjoyed a lovely evening with. </p><p>“I have some serious issues,” Annabeth groaned. </p><p>On the upside she couldn’t wait to see their reactions when she told them about the dream. Rachel would enjoy hearing about getting murdered by Annabeth, for sure. She’d probably end up making some existential art about it as if it had been her own dream. </p><p>Knowing there was no chance of her going back to sleep now, Annabeth got out of bed and brushed her teeth. She put on her sneakers and headed out the front door. No one was going to wake up and see her gone anytime soon, not at this hour. She didn’t plan on being out for too long, anyway. </p><p>Try as she did to forget about the dream, It followed her down the street, sticking to the humid September air behind her like a steamy ghost as she walked further east. It wasn’t the murdering or the covering-up that bothered her (though some would say that should have been a point of concern). She knew whatever the nightmare was supposed to be about, she definitely didn’t want to murder her best friends. No, it was the part about <em> why </em> she’d gone <em> American Psycho </em> on their asses. What about them going through her room, her drawers, her closet, had gotten her so upset? Even for a nightmare, it seemed like a bit of an overreaction, so clearly there was some metaphoric analysis to be made. </p><p>She recalled her internal monologue during her dream state; so resentful of her friends. Was she resentful of them in waking life? Surely if she were, she would have been able to pinpoint a reason by now. But none came to mind. </p><p>Her legs had taken her straight to the East River, from which she lived only a five minute walk. She strolled along the familiar embankment, water to her right, Queens to the right of that, neighborhood park to her left. She continued to walk up the cobblestone path until she was just a few feet away from the spot where she had tossed her best friends over. She wanted to get closer but two figures were already standing there with their backs to her, leaning over the embankment railing, looking out onto the water. They stood in the very spot she had stood in her dream, and she found it a strange kind of coincidence. </p><p>Stranger still was when one of the figures turned his head and caught sight of Annabeth staring. For a moment the person made a strange face at her, blowing smoke out of his mouth and passing the joint in his hand back to his apparent partner in crime. Then he turned his full attention to Annabeth. She stood there awkwardly for a moment, thinking maybe the figure didn’t appreciate Annabeth’s rude staring. Just as she turned to leave, he called out.<br/>
<br/>
“Wait! Annabeth!” </p><p>She knew that voice. Annabeth turned back around to see the boy making his way toward her. His friend had turned now too, a taller girl that Annabeth still couldn’t quite make out. But as the boy approached closer she was sure who he was. His wild dark eyes matched his wild dark curls perfectly, an excited elfish smile on his face that always warmed Annabeth’s heart. </p><p>“Oh my god, Leo,” Annabeth smiled pleasantly, if a little confused, “What are you doing on East End at two in the morning?” </p><p>He had covered the distance between them now, but his friend stayed a good few feet behind, looming near the railing like a shadow. </p><p>Leo gestured behind him at the mysterious figure, “Piper wasn’t having the best night so she called me up for a walk n’ talk. Rolled one up for good measure,” He cracked a crooked smile at her, “Would you like some?” </p><p>Why were Annabeth’s palms suddenly sweating?</p><p>“Piper wouldn’t mind, she’s very generous. Sharing is caring,” Leo continued, “Hey, I don’t think you guys have actually ever officially met, have you?” </p><p>“No.” Annabeth said quietly. Her heart was beating a little too fast. For someone with a history of anxiety attacks, this was always alarming, and that alarm always led to her heart beating even faster. A vicious cycle.</p><p>“I could introduce you!” Leo said excitedly, looking back at Piper.</p><p>Piper still had mostly her back to Annabeth. She hadn’t made any moves to come closer to Leo and the blonde, or to interact with Annabeth at all. She watched as the brunette brought the joint up to her lips, leaning casually over the railing, face turned toward the water. The warm street lamps along the path cast shadows across her face, making her softly angled jaw and high cheekbones ever more visible. Smoke blew around her in a cloud as she exhaled, twirling the joint between her long, nimble fingers.</p><p>“I don’t know why I didn’t introduce you both before,” Leo continued, turning back to Annabeth, “I’ve known you for like a year now. Anyway, I think you guys would–”</p><p>“Actually, Leo,” Annabeth pushed the words out, though she was having trouble breathing consistently. “I think I should head home. It’s pretty late. I have to tutor after school tomorrow, too, so I should get some rest.” </p><p>“Oh,” Leo looked a little disappointed, but perked up after a moment, “No worries blondie, next time.” </p><p>“For sure,” She smiled at him. </p><p> </p><p>The whole walk home Annabeth practiced her breathing, counted to ten, or repeated the mantras her therapist had taught her in sophomore year. </p><p>
  <em>1. There is no danger here.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2. I am okay.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>3. Breath in, breath out.</em>
</p><p>They were bullshit mantras. It’s no wonder she’d stopped seeing her therapist that same year. </p><p>By the time she reached her front door, she had tried every anxiety reducing method in the book. Annabeth had become a master at coping with her anxiety over the years, so when she could still feel the thumping in her chest after she’d made it all the way to her room and into her bed, she started to wonder if something else was going on. </p><p>She couldn’t stop the buzz in her heart. A hum that definitely hadn’t been there before she’d visited the river. </p><p>
  <em>4. I’m straight.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>––– <b>A</b> –––</p><p> </p><p>Annabeth waited patiently as her fellow student tutor, Malcolm, rushed around the empty classroom getting his things together. They were in the room used for their english tutoring, and Malcolm had just finished a session. </p><p>Malcolm needed to be at his english teacher’s office before the last bell rang. She had set up a virtual interview for him for a chance at a spring internship with The New Yorker. Malcolm’s writing was exceptional, so Annabeth hadn’t been surprised when she’d heard he’d landed such a major opportunity in highschool. </p><p>Documents were spread all over the table and a few more flew out of the folder in his hand as he darted around haphazardly, trying to organize everything and stuff it into his backpack in time to make his meeting, which was in only a couple minutes. That was also when Annabeth’s tutoring session would begin, after school, with her new student Travis Stoll. Him and his twin brother were well known around the school for wreaking havoc, so Annabeth wasn’t sure how to feel about her upcoming task.   </p><p>“Need any help there?” Annabeth asked. Malcolm shook his blond head without wasting a moment to look up at her. His hands flew around the table and soon enough, all his papers were stacked up. He shoved them as well as he could into his flimsy folder, and then shoved that into his bag. </p><p>“Guess not,” Annabeth said. </p><p>“Okay,” He looked up at her finally and cracked a smile, “Wish me luck!”</p><p>“You don’t need it but, good luck,” Annabeth patted him on the back encouragingly as he rushed past her to the door, “Wish <em> me </em>luck, I have to try and explain Shakespeare to Travis Stoll for the next two hours.” </p><p>Malcolm stopped in his tracks at the door. </p><p>“Oh shit,” he muttered under his breath, “Fuck,” he said louder, “I forgot to tell you! Travis had to switch to me, you’ve been assigned someone new for Fridays. The student kept insisting it had to be you specifically –”</p><p>“What?” Annabeth asked, completely bemused, “Who?” </p><p>The shrill sound of the school bell rang through the halls, signaling the end of the official school day – and Malcolm was off, shooting down the hall like he was running for his life. For someone like Malcolm, and an internship like that, that's probably exactly what he was doing.  </p><p>Annabeth dropped down into a seat at a round table in the center of the room. Who would so insist on having Annabeth as their tutor, that they bumped the seat of another student? And <em> why </em>? No matter how she looked at it, the situation made no sense to her, and no one came to mind. </p><p>So she resigned to wait patiently for her mystery student.</p><p>Five minutes went by and no sign of anyone. Annabeth kept looking up at the crowds of kids spilling into the hallway outside every time she thought one of them might have been walking to the room. But most of them were simply trying to leave the building as fast they could. </p><p>Annabeth found herself becoming irritated. Who had had the audacity to unfairly take a spot as her pupil, and <em> also </em>be late to the first session?</p><p>Annabeth got her answer when she saw sleek Doc Martens cross the threshold. Her eyes shot up to take in the full figure entering the room. The distressed denim jacket, the shaggy hair. The warm brown skin and vexingly glittery eyes. The smell of a sweaty soccer uniform, barely contained in a polyester gym bag. </p><p>This had to be some kind of joke. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: *Park Avenue Princess/Price is a term used to refer to the elite of New York, as Park Avenue on the Upper east side is one of the most expensive places to live. Yorkville (where Annabeth lives) is a more residential neighbourhood, in a better area but still affordable for all kinds of people, even college students.<br/>*CUNY stands for City College of New York (city owned colleges).</p><p>Hope you liked this chapter! The next one, and all chapters moving forward, is going to be quite fun to write.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Quick Sand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?<br/>
</em>
  <em>So you think you can love me and leave me to die?<br/>
</em>
  <em>Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby,<br/>
</em>
  <em>Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nothing really matters,<br/>
</em>
  <em>Anyone can see,<br/>
</em>
  <em>Nothing really matters,<br/>
</em>
  <em>Nothing really matters to me.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> — Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Piper had walked into the classroom ready to meet Annabeth for the first time – her sweet, if slightly nerdy, student english tutor with messy brown hair and big round glasses. This was the image Piper had in her head of every student english tutor in the world. The intimidating blonde giving her the most attractive resting bitch face Piper had ever seen was far from that image.</p><p>The look on Annabeth’s face made it clear to Piper that her new tutor already knew who she was. She’d probably heard every messed up rumor about the young soccer prodigy and created a narrative in her head, like most other people at their school. Piper didn’t blame her, though. If Piper had heard the stories about herself out of context, she would be giving herself the stink eye, too.</p><p>“Um, hi,” Piper managed, suddenly feeling nervous and very conscious of her tardiness, “I’m Piper–”</p><p>“I know who you are,” Annabeth cut her off. The blonde adjusted herself in her seat, sitting up a little taller, as she began to pull her books out of her backpack. Straight to business. </p><p>“Oh. Okay,” Piper slumped down into a seat across from Annabeth, then proceeded to take out her own books. </p><p>“I’m Annabeth,” she said, not looking up.</p><p>“Yeah. Hi,” Piper said, her voice low.</p><p>“The other student tutor only just informed me I’d be teaching you, he left in a hurry. Do you have your file with you?” Annabeth asked, still without looking up from some papers she was now sorting. Piper couldn’t help but wonder if this was how her new tutor usually conducted her sessions – so cold and corporate – or if Piper's presence had something to do with her rigid attitude. This was not that warm and inviting teacher Reyna had gushed about. </p><p>“Yeah, I do,” Piper scrambled to produce a document Chiron had printed out for her to give to Annabeth, which chronicled all of Piper’s misfortunes with Halfblood Hill East’s English Literature Department. </p><p>“So your class was reading The Handmaid’s Tale last year right?” Annabeth closely studied the document now in front of her, filled with details about Piper’s failure. “That was the one you failed –”</p><p>Piper winced at Annabeth’s words, but the blonde continued on anyway,</p><p>“–and had to make up for. So then this summer you redid your assignment on a different book, but those credits were rejected by your teacher, right?” </p><p>“Right,” Piper said quietly.</p><p>“Why?” Annabeth asked. The question rang out, reaching every corner of the room like a mocking echo.</p><p>Piper hadn’t expected this kind of callous attitude, but she was used to it. She sighed internally and braced herself for an uncomfortable afternoon. </p><p>“Ms. Dodds was my teacher,” was all she could say. </p><p>There was silence for a moment, and Annabeth finally looked up. </p><p>Annabeth had very intense grey eyes, Piper noticed. And now they were staring her down. Piper, who was usually very relaxed when meeting someone for the first time, rarely nervous, found herself unable to meet those two worlds of grey. </p><p>But then, Annabeth’s eyes softened. </p><p>“Oh,” the tutor gave Piper an understanding look, “Ms. Dodds is a horrible teacher.” </p><p>Common ground. And what seemed like an implication that this failure had not been a hundred percent Piper’s fault. So, they both hated Ms. Dodds. It wasn’t much but Piper was ready to take it and run with it.</p><p>She was aware of her own reputation. Wished well by everyone in the open, but behind closed doors people would take great satisfaction in her downfall. Wouldn’t expect a life any different for a successful female athlete. No one wanted to see her win.</p><p>But Annabeth didn’t seem the type to fit into that category. Piper had known her for maybe a minute, but it was a gut feeling. That, and the fact that Reyna spoke so highly of her. </p><p>Whatever her reasoning, Piper was getting a clear sense that Annabeth was not her biggest fan.</p><p>Any new friendships outside of her little clique that Piper tried to make at this school, she would have to break down that person’s preconceived notions about her so that they could start from scratch. She knew she probably shouldn’t care so much about what other people thought they knew about her, and most of the time she truly didn’t. But there were certain people that she simply did not want thinking of her in that way. Piper had only known Annabeth for a few moments, but the girl’s commanding presence made Piper want to put her best foot forward, to prove herself. </p><p>“So,” Annabeth cleared her throat, “which book do you want to go with? The one you read over the summer or The Handmaid’s Tale?” </p><p>“Honestly, I really would like to read Handmaid’s Tale. I read the synopsis at the start of the class last year and was really excited – it seemed like the themes in this novel are one that I would take interest in. But, then Ms. Dodds walked in on the first day and I just knew I would barely make it through the semester. It was hate at first sight.” </p><p>Piper caught a glint of amusement in Annabeth’s eyes. A twitch in her mouth. Not quite a smile, certainly not a laugh (Piper would have to be funny, first), but it was something. She decided to see how far she could push it.</p><p>“Like, I knew Ms. Dodds was the one,” Piper started dramatically, as she straightened up in her seat, getting back into her rhythm again, “when she walked into the room that first day and yelled at a kid for not sitting in his seat correctly. What a woman, truly,” Piper could see Annabeth trying to hide her amusement, which only encouraged her to continue. </p><p>“Never had I come across such a drab and horrifying woman in my life. Before her, I was convinced I’d never find the one to make my blood boil, the one who made me absolutely double over in disgust, you know? Then, Ms. Dodds came along and rocked my world. We’ve lived miserably ever after ever since.”</p><p>That last bit got a small smile from the blonde across the table. Piper couldn’t help but notice how pretty it made her look. She would try her best to pull a proper one out of her new tutor eventually. </p><p>“Quite the epic hate story,” Annabeth remarked.</p><p>“It was true misfortune that I found her. Destiny, if you will.” Piper responded casually.</p><p>That got a small chuckle. It was only audible for a split second before Annabeth turned back down to the papers in front of her.</p><p>“Okay, so we’ll read the Handmaid’s Tale then.” The blonde said, back to business. But her tone seemed lighter, slightly less closed off. Piper felt the tension release from her own shoulders a little.<br/>
<br/>
“I really would like to pass this class Annabeth,” Piper started after a moment. She was a little hesitant to say what she was about to say, but she felt she needed to. </p><p>“And I don’t mean just so that I can get it over with,” Piper clarified quickly, “I mean that I actually do care about my classes, and doing well – I just genuinely had a hard time learning from Ms. Dodds. I’m not trying to give my whole sob-story here, but it wasn’t an easy year for me and on top of that Ms. Dodds seemed to always have a reason to single me out, no matter what I did. So I kind of decided I would do and say whatever, you know? Like I didn’t care anymore. I know that probably wasn’t the smartest approach, but I can be… impulsive. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I do care about my future, and doing well in this class. I take this seriously.”</p><p>Annabeth studied her quietly for a moment. Piper wasn’t sure if she was helping her case or hurting it. Annabeth could either decide she believed her, or that she was making excuses. </p><p>“I understand,” Annabeth said after a few long seconds. “Though I've never been in her class myself, I’ve heard a lot about Ms. Dodds. One of my best friends… he didn't have the best experience with her. So I totally believe what you're telling me. But you have to understand, it isn’t me you have to convince in the end, it’s still her unfortunately. If you came to sessions, I would tutor you either way, serious or not – that’s my job whether I like it or not. But Ms. Dodds – she’ll be grading your final papers. And if she doesn't think they're up to the mark, and isn't convinced that you're taking this seriously, it won't really make any difference. And if she’s got a grudge like you say, it won’t be easy.”</p><p>“Well then I guess I’ll just have to do such a kick ass job that even that leathery sack of bones can’t have anything bad to say.” Piper said as she leaned back in her chair. </p><p>That got a small laugh out of Annabeth. Her laugh sounded like a chorus of bells bouncing off the walls, filling the room with music. It was still constrained, clearly not the most vulnerable version of her laughter, but it tugged at something in Piper’s chest. </p><p>“I don’t believe there will ever come a day when that <em> leathery sack of bones, </em>as you so eloquently put it, won’t have something bad to say,” She said to Piper, still smiling. She had perfect teeth, Piper noticed.</p><p>“A challenge then – you strike me as the kind of girl that loves a challenge. What do you say? You up for it?” Piper lightly goaded. </p><p>Annabeth narrowed her eyes, making them look even more fierce in their remarkable vivacity. A smirk pulled at the corner of her lips. “Bring it on.” </p><p>They proceeded to discuss how their lessons should be planned out, and what they would go over. Annabeth was very well organized, all the information broken down in a way that would make it easy to retain. Nevertheless, Piper took notes about the schedule plan Annabeth was illustrating, overcome by this feeling of wanting to impress the girl.</p><p>Piper could see now what Reyna had meant when she said Annabeth was a great tutor. Piper had come here with her mind made up to just write this session off, use it as proof to Chiron that she tried, but tutoring just wasn’t for her. She had her reasons, an explanation for her aversion to tutors, even though nobody knew them. </p><p>But sitting across from Annabeth now, Piper was beginning to rethink her approach to the whole tutor thing, something she never thought she’d do. The blonde explained how they would go about their sessions, asking Piper what methods would best help her learn, despite her obvious general dislike for the athlete. Piper couldn't help but think that the help of someone like Annabeth could actually benefit her. She seemed genuinely interested in helping people – if Piper could prove to Annabeth she was serious about this, then maybe Piper could make it onto her good side. But she’d have to stick around to do that.</p><p>Piper watched Annabeth brush a loose strand of golden hair behind her ear, glinting in the afternoon sun pouring through the windows. Her hands were beautiful – long slender fingers like a musician or an artist’s hands. She could tell from the way the light reflected off her nails that she had painted them with a clear top coat. Piper found it cute.<br/>
Maybe spending the semester with this girl wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, Piper thought. </p><p>“Why only a top coat without any color?” Piper asked aloud.</p><p>Annabeth looked up, her eyebrows turned up in question, “Hm?”</p><p>Piper nodded her head toward Annabeth’s hand pointedly. </p><p>“Oh,” Annabeth curled her fingers into her palms in front of her to observe her nails, “It’s not just a top coat, it's for keeping your nails strong and healthy.”</p><p>“Well it looks cute,” Piper said, “You have nice hands.” </p><p>There was a moment where no one said anything. </p><p>“Thank you,” Annabeth said shortly, as she tucked her hand under the table and out of sight. </p><p>For some reason, Piper suddenly felt a little discouraged. </p><p>“So, these are just a basic overview of how I plan my tutoring sessions,” Annabeth steered the conversation back to business, “But I’m open to suggestions as the weeks go on, if you think there's something we can change, rearrange or add, that might be more helpful to you. Our main goal here is to just make sure you can write and submit good papers that have a deep and well rounded understanding of this novel and it’s themes, so that even Ms. Dodds can’t poke holes in it.” </p><p>“Yeah, sounds good.” Piper said. </p><p>“So we still have a little time left – did you want to go over the book? I’m assuming you would have read the first three chapters at least, considering how short they are, before coming here?” Annabeth raised an eyebrow at Piper, A challenge in her voice. She was testing Piper, trying to see how responsible or interested in improvement the athlete really was. </p><p>Luckily for Piper, she really had come prepared. While she hadn’t planned on continuing her tutoring sessions, she was still trying to take the online class seriously for her own self, so she’d started reading the book on the way to matches or on the way back from practice. </p><p>“Yeah, I’ve actually read up to chapter 6, since the first few weren’t that long” Piper said nonchalantly, pulling the book out of her bag. Annabeth’s face betrayed her surprise for a brief moment before she regained composure. Piper pretended not to notice, though the reaction made her want to giggle.</p><p>“So,” Annabeth started, “First impressions? What are your thoughts on how the story is setting up?”</p><p>Piper blinked, a little surprised. She was more used to teaching methods that were essentially someone talking <em> at you </em>while you try to keep up. </p><p>“What?” Annabeth reacted to Piper’s surprise, “You seem smart – I know because I’m a good judge of that sort of thing. I’m sure you have your opinions on what you've read, independent of anyone else's, especially in a book like this.” </p><p>“I do, actually,” Piper started, feeling a new sense of confidence that hadn’t been there during her first attempt with this book. “I have a lot of opinions, really. This book… it’s a horror story more than just a dystopian one.”</p><p>“Most dystopian fiction <em> is </em>horror,” Annabeth pointed out.</p><p>“True,” Piper nodded, “But this book, the scariest part is that it isn’t a far off fantasy, it isn’t some fictional concept. Women becoming second class citizens, grouped into three categories, all of them to cater to a man, a woman having no status without a man to “command” her. A woman having no bodily autonomy, no rights, no say – no matter her status in society. This has all happened already. This book isn’t predicting a gruesome future, it's predicting the return of a gruesome past, one that will come back with a vengeance.” </p><p>Annabeth studied Piper for a moment before responding.</p><p>“That’s interesting. I’ve read this book twice and I didn’t think of it that way. But I suppose you're right. I think the modern setting of the book juxtaposed with its archaic society is what makes it’s oppression seem so foreign. It wasn’t quite as jarring in the past, as women had never lived in a world where they were equal. But now that we know women are not second class citizens, and we as women can have rights and privileges equal to men, the idea of having someone come and take that away is what feels foreign. It's because we’re equals today, that's what makes this story closer to fiction than reality in my opinion.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t go that far,” Piper blurted out, then immediately bit her tongue. She wasn’t sure she should let the conversation follow the path her brain was taking. She still didn’t know Annabeth well enough. And she’d had some shitty experiences when bringing up the topic that was swimming around in her head at this very moment, aching to break through the surface.</p><p>Annabeth raised an eyebrow, though she didn’t seem offended. “You don’t agree? You think this book, which openly and shamelessly keeps its women as prisoners and slaves, is closer to reality?” </p><p>Piper chose her next words carefully, trying to gauge Annabeth’s stance, and through what lense she viewed the world. It was vital in understanding how safe it was for Piper to speak freely. </p><p>“I wouldn’t say it was exactly a likely reality – not the world in the book, obviously. It is still a work of fiction. But I do think that the idea of these women living as prisoners under a totalitarian government is just a – a hyperbole of our current world. In the book, their oppression is legally mandated by the government, and taken to the full extent. That's the only real difference. For example, the handmaids – Offred describes feeling like some sort of baby making machine, a womb on legs. Is that any different to the abortion laws we have in Alabama in today? Women have been put in jail for having abortions, under a murder charge, and is that any different in spirit than in this book, the wall that Offred and Offglen walk by that hangs people who had performed abortions?” Piper knew she should stop here, but she found herself unable to contain the emotions and ideas this book had brought up without her even realising during the past week. “And Offred’s job as a handmaid, it’s basically government mandated sexual assault under the guise of a religious ritual. Now Offred cannot go to anyone, cannot seek any legal help or action against her oppression because it <em> is </em> the law. But how is that any different than today?”</p><p>Annabeth looked truly intrigued and bemused now, as she asked, “While I would agree there isn’t enough being done by the legal and justice system to prevent sexual assault, I would hardly say it was legal. I do think women’s basic human rights are too protected today to be legally taken away like that.” </p><p>“But aren’t they? When 80% of indigenous women living in North America have faced violence, and 56% sexual violence, but none of them feel in any way empowered to report these incidents?” And there it was. The bomb had dropped, but Piper couldn’t stop herself now.</p><p>“When an indigenous woman feels – no, she <em> knows </em> – that she won’t find any help from police, from courts,” Piper continued, “from anyone in this country, isn’t that experience, specifically her <em> experience </em>, essentially the same as if they openly said her assault was legal? 90% of violence indigenous women face comes from outside their tribes, which leads us to why intersectionality is important when we talk about the state of women in America, or the world. You might believe that we’re better off in reality than the fictional world of Gilead*, but this is only true from the perspective of privileged women. It's just how, while the Wives* in Gilead are oppressed, they are much better off than the others, and so become complacent in a system that benefits them, unable to see the suffering of other women.”</p><p>Annabeth had fallen silent. Piper could feel a buzzing throughout her body, A sort of adrenaline rush from everything she’d just spilled out of herself. She rarely spoke about anything related to her Native American communities. She didn’t want to be known as the downer, or the preacher. The one to ruin people’s moods with her rants. Piper was the life of the party, not the party pooper. </p><p>But she found as she was getting older, it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to ignore the anger inside her. And the guilt, for being embarrassed to stand up for her people. But the few times she had let it spill out, she hadn’t been met with the best reactions. It seemed every time she <em> did </em> try to bring up the topic, someone would shut her down. No one wanted to be reminded of it, no one wanted to talk about it. And every time, she became more discouraged than the last.</p><p>Annabeth’s silence stretching out through the seconds didn’t ease Piper’s jitters. Had she fucked up the conversation for good? Had she not read Annabeth the right way, maybe presumed too much, gone too far, said too much? </p><p>Then finally, after what seemed like an eternity of paranoia, Annabeth broke the silence. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” She spoke softly. </p><p>Piper hadn’t expected that. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Annabeth continued, “You’re absolutely right. I didn’t even think that far - which is not an excuse at all,” She added quickly, “It just highlights, as you said, that I’m one of the privileged women. And a brilliant observation there, about the Wives in Gilead being equivalent to women like, well, me, today.” </p><p>Annabeth laughed nervously as she scratched her golden hair. Piper was surprised by how vulnerable the gesture was. She hadn’t expected to see such a side of Annabeth until much later on. But it was a genuine moment, one that let Piper know Annabeth’s words were truthful in their awkwardness. </p><p>The brunette wasn’t quite sure what to say. Up until now she’d only ever experienced resistance to the topic, either fueled by disinterest or a guilt that no one wanted to face. Annabeth’s openness and apology was new territory that Piper didn’t know how to handle. </p><p>As if she were some sort of mind reader, Annabeth said, “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know that you’re right, and I should have thought about those aspects, and going forward I will. Thank you for opening my eyes to it.”</p><p>She smiled a big, toothy grin, and Piper felt her heart skip, as the whole room seemed to light up. She wanted nothing more than to rip her own heart out and throw it out the window, the useless thing was obviously malfunctioning. </p><p>“Of course,” was all Piper could think to say.</p><p>“But, what I <em> would </em>like to know from you,” Annabeth continued, “Is how you feel about this session. Any feedback you have for me, what I could improve. Basically just an assessment of our first session and whether you feel this is going to work for you moving forward?”</p><p>Piper couldn’t tell if it was just in her head, but Annabeth’s tone had changed from about 45 minutes ago. She sounded almost… hopeful – like she would be happy to hear Piper answer that question positively. </p><p>“I feel like, if you’d been my teacher last year, I would’ve paid attention to every word you said.”</p><p>As soon as the words had left her mouth Piper had realised they sounded more flirtatious than she’d meant them to. Usually, this would never bother her. Piper’s flirtatious remarks toward other women often went right over their head, thank you heteronormativity, so she never really felt like she’d be exposing herself. But it was the adorable way that Annabeth’s cheeks began to tint pink, like she’d understood the implications behind Piper’s words, which had her silently panicking. </p><p>“Because you’re such a great teacher,” Piper added hastily, trying to cover her tracks. </p><p>Annabeth suddenly seemed very interested in her fingernails as she muttered, “Thank you.” </p><p>“I’d be happy to continue these sessions. I think it’ll be really helpful in keeping me on track, especially with the season already starting. Don’t want to get distracted.” Piper smiled.</p><p>“Great,” Annabeth smiled back, “Then I’ll see you next Friday.” </p><p> </p><p>––– <b>P</b> –––</p><p> </p><p>“Hey beauty queen, wait up!”</p><p>Piper looked over her shoulder, even though she already knew who it was. </p><p>“You know I hate that,” She called out, continuing to walk toward her car parked around the corner of their high school, as Leo jogged on the sidewalk behind her, scrambling to catch up.</p><p>Despite everything else going wrong in her life, Piper was left with a sense of excitement for next Friday. You would think, with their first game of the season being tomorrow, her thoughts wouldn't be deviating from the field. And yet, flashes of gold and grey kept invading her mind. </p><p>Piper didn’t usually drive her car to school, or anywhere; There was almost never any point when you lived in Manhattan. But today she’d be giving her boyfriend a ride down to the Financial District. Jason’s father had called him down there after school, as he did every Friday, to his corporate office, so that Jason could assist him with important matters, sit in on meetings, be introduced to important partners and investors of the company, all so that he would be well prepared when his time came to take over the business. What Jason had to say about any of this, his father never thought to ask. </p><p>“I’m surprised you aren’t immune to it after all these years,” Leo puffed, catching his breath, now that his little legs had finally matched stride with Piper’s. </p><p>“I try to drown you out most of the time, but every once in a while I accidentally hear you.” </p><p>“You shouldn’t let your guard down like that,” Leo chuckled.</p><p>“What’s up? And why are you still at school at 3 PM?” Piper asked as they turned a corner, her BMW now visible at the end of the street, the sun reflecting off the hood sending a bright red glare that was hard to look at. She’d have to ask for a different color next time. </p><p>“Well you’re dropping Jason off today right? Would you mind giving me a ride too? I’m meeting Calypso downtown but I don’t really have money for a metrocard right now.” </p><p>“Of course stupid,” Piper clicked the button on her car keys, which weren’t even keys at all, and the car unlocked. “Where’d you need me to drop you?”</p><p>“East Houston would be great,” Leo smiled, “You’re a lifesaver Pipes. I almost had to cancel.”</p><p>“No way I could let you do that. Calypso is probably the only girl you’ll ever get to take an interest in you. Can’t risk it.”</p><p>“Ha ha.” </p><p>The two leaned against the car in easy silence while they waited for Jason, who had texted Piper that the boys team was just wrapping up a quick after school meeting in the locker room. Then Leo spoke up.</p><p>“You feeling better since last night?”</p><p>“Hm? Oh, yeah. Yeah,” Piper smiled at Leo, “Thanks for that by the way.”</p><p>“Shut up, beauty queen.” </p><p>Piper let out a little laugh at that, though she didn’t much feel like laughing. The truth was she wasn’t feeling much better, but she didn’t want to dump any more of her burden onto Leo. </p><p>She was grateful for him. Really grateful. Last night she’d almost lost control of herself. She’d almost lost herself. Her and her father hadn’t been getting along too swimmingly, especially not since he’d brought Drew Tanaka into their home and family. The fights that had been breaking out, well, they weren’t civil. Sometimes between her and her father, sometimes her and Drew, and sometimes everyone seemed to gang up on her all at once. </p><p>Piper’s father, Tristan, who’d spent his whole life doing everything he could to make her happy, couldn’t seem to understand why she was rejecting his happiness. Through their eyes, Piper was now “the problem child”. She was the one who was keeping the family apart, making the transition process unnecessarily and painfully difficult. Why couldn’t she just accept her father’s new wife? Why couldn’t she just accept her new step sister? </p><p>And maybe it <em> was </em> Piper’s own fault. She had never told her father about the things that had happened between her and Drew in middle school, the way Drew had treated her. When she’d found out of his relationship with her mother, she hadn’t been able to stack up the courage to bring it up. And now it was far too late. At this point she should just bite her tongue and accept her fate, or be straight with her father. But she found herself unable to do either one.</p><p>And last night especially, Piper was not proud of the things that she had said to her father. Nor had she been able to handle many of the things that had been said to her by Drew. A particular string of shoot-to-kill insults from her step sister had left Piper in no condition to shoot back, retreating back to her room. </p><p>In those moments, as her vision was going blurry, unable to register anything outside of herself as she fell deeper inward, into the void, she reached out to grab onto the only person who would actually be able to pull her back out. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Piper please,” Her dad pleaded with her, but his tone wasn’t gentle like it used to be. It wasn’t harsh either, but the lines on his face were deep, his expression betrayed how fed up he was of his daughter's antics.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Piper felt helpless to communicate with him. She didn’t know how to explain why every interaction with Drew turned into a nightmare, not without recapping the entirety of the last 8 years. Considering she’d never mentioned any of it to him throughout all that time, she didn’t see the point in starting now. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Both of you,” Kamiko, Drew’s mother, chimed in, “Please, this has to stop.” </em>
</p><p><em>“Tell </em> her, <em> ” Drew shrieked, stabbing her perfectly manicured finger in the air toward Piper, “She has a problem with everything! She acts like this is her house and hers alone, like I’m some trespasser. Guess what, I live here whether you like it or not!” </em></p><p>
  <em>Piper hated hearing that. It was true, she didn't want Drew here. She didn't want to believe that she now shared a home with a monster. But she couldn’t say that out loud, her father wouldn’t stand for it. </em>
</p><p><em>“I never said anything like that, Drew you drama queen. I needed to take a shower, I just came home from practice, you didn't </em> need <em> to take a bubble bath!” </em></p><p>
  <em>“It doesn't matter,” She shrieked, “I went in there first, you can’t just grab my stuff and throw it out the door –”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Is that true Piper?” Her father interjected. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes it is true, Piper wanted to yell. She wanted to scream in their faces just how satisfying it was too. Even if she hated the idea that Drew was now permanently in her house, the only thing that kept her sane was knowing Drew was now the outsider, and Piper had the power. </em>
</p><p><em> Piper wanted to tell them she wasn’t sorry for when she’d given a town car driver the wrong address to drop Drew off at, and she’d ended up in the Bronx. It was the stupid brainless barbie’s own fault for being so immersed in herself she hadn’t even looked out the window to see where she was headed. She wanted to take back her apology for when she’d interrupted a conversation Drew was having during one of her father’s parties, with some Netflix star, and doing everything in her power to make sure it was clear that Drew was </em> not <em> a catch for anyone who liked their partners to come with brains.  </em></p><p>
  <em>Those incidents had happened in the earlier weeks of their families’ union. Piper could admit they had been childish, but she felt no remorse for Drew. And she just couldn’t bring herself not to inflict punishment, even if now at the smallest scales, when she saw an opportunity to do so. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I didn’t throw her stuff out of the bathroom, I asked her politely if she could take her “me time” bath after I’d washed the mud off my body. She wasn’t reasonable enough to agree. What did you want me to do? Wait around with dirt on my face so she could play with bubbles for two hours?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Piper,” Her father threw his hands up in the air, clearly exasperated, “What are you, ten? It’s just a bathroom, you could have gone into mine –” </em>
</p><p><em>“It’s </em> my <em> bathroom,” Piper insisted.</em></p><p>
  <em>“Enough! That you were this incredibly petty, Piper, I had no idea. We’ve lived a privileged life but I didn’t think I’d raised you to be a brat.” Her father’s tone, and his words, cut his daughter deep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She felt her eyes sting, but she refused to let her face contort, or any tears slip out. Her anger threatened to bubble over. Then she saw Drew’s smirk, hidden from her father, but fully visible to Piper. And the pot overflowed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh I’m sorry, did you think raising me as an Upper East Side kid as a man from Hollywood was going to be some sort of humbling experience? I know we’ve lived a privileged life but I didn’t think you were this deluded, Dad.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m warning you Piper–” He began to raise his voice, but Piper was past the point of fear. Her father thought so little of her already, what was there to salvage?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No, tell me, if you’re so concerned about brats in your house, why did you invite this demonic debutante and her social climbing mother into–”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s it!” Her father roared, but Piper didn’t even flinch. She got exactly the reaction she was looking for. And Piper’s words had wiped that smirk right off Drew’s face.</em>
</p><p><em>“ </em> My <em> mother is the social climber? You really think–” Drew tried to bite back, but Tristain cut her off.</em></p><p>
  <em>“No. No more of this from either of you. I'm fed up with this. Kamiko and I are both fed up. You are two adults, start acting like it goddammit. I will not live in a house of shrieking animals instead of grown women. You both better find some way to get along, or so help me I will start finding ways to force you to.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The thought sent a chill down Piper’s spine.</em>
</p><p><em>“I want both of you in your rooms, and I don't want to hear </em> one <em> more sound, or even the hint of an exchange between the two of you for the rest of the night.”</em></p><p>
  <em>With that Tristain Mclean walked away from the stairwell and toward the living room where his wife had already retreated to, as she had decided a while ago there was no point in trying to reprimand the girls. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Piper immediately turned to bound up the stairs and into the safety of her room. She was starting to feel sick. Ever since the death of her mother, every fight with her father felt like a piece of her own self was dying with her. And since the day Drew had trespassed, this had only gotten worse. </em>
</p><p><em>But her sweet step sister didn’t let Piper escape that fast. She bounded up after Piper, until she was right behind her, and muttered just low enough so that their parents wouldn’t hear, “My mother’s the social climber? This coming from the girl who's dating the school’s heartthrob soccer boy, when she clearly feels </em> nothing <em> for him.”</em></p><p>
  <em>Piper froze. A million thoughts raced through her mind. She tried to hold on to the knowledge that Drew seemed to think Jason was for social status, not a beard. Drew didn’t know her secret. But Piper had to be so careful not to give anything up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ve been friends with Jason forever, he means the world to me. What would you know about us?” Piper spat back. Everything she said was true.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Please Piper, I know these things. You couldn’t be less interested in your so-called boyfriend. You just love the attention of being his arm candy,” She sneered.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m no ones fucking arm candy.”</em>
</p><p><em>“Oh, but you are. And that's all you ever will be. Think about it Pipes, babe. What are the chances you’ll actually make it to college, let alone play college soccer? Division 1 is only at the best schools, and we both know you’re not going to get in. You’ve literally </em> failed <em> a class. You’re daddy might be able to buy your way in but honestly, my best bet is you’ll end up blowing all that money on booze and drugs, the amount you party. Probably end up some addict, a shame to your father’s name. But don’t worry, it's expected of you when your dad’s a movie star.” Drew smiled, a sickly sweet smile that made Piper’s stomach turn, as she went on, “It's sad really, because you’re so good at what you do, but it's all going to waste at the end. You’re too much of a fucking mess. And in the end you’ll just end up the alcoholic arm-candy of a man rich enough to keep supporting you the way your dad has. Because we both know, no matter your holier-than-thou attitude, you wouldn’t survive a second without this lifestyle. Face it Piper, your little talent isn’t enough to save you from yourself.” </em></p><p>
  <em>Drew said her words with such obvious care, perfectly crafted to infiltrate the weakest links in Piper’s defense. But by the end of her meticulous monologue, Piper had stopped fully registering her words. She didn’t need to – the point was clear, and it had hit home flawlessly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Piper retreated to her room without a word, or even a breath. She shut the door behind her and sent out a quick text, like letting down an anchor, before throwing her phone on the bed and sliding down to the floor. She scrambled to the edge of her bed, and then slid right underneath. She curled up under her bed in a fetal position, and didn’t move for an eternity. She was afraid to, afraid of what she might do. The longer she stayed still, the harder she started to shake. Her vision was so blurred, she couldn’t see anything around her, she couldn’t find her way out of her head. She hadn’t been this afraid in a while. She tried to breath, but her lungs didn’t seem to work. She tried to cry it out, but her eyes were dry as the Sahara. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She was falling deeper inward, down into the void. And the void wasn’t vast and empty. Piper wasn’t in a free fall. It was a thick, inky darkness that pulled her in like quick sand. A quick sand that had always surrounded her. Throughout the years she had been tugging, pulling and fighting to escape, but it just drowned her faster. She needed something solid to grab onto. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Like being woken from a dream, she heard her phone ringing, as if it were miles away. She forced herself to shift back into the present, and made it her goal to get to the phone. She crawled out from under the bed, and grabbed the phone off the top. She saw a name flashing on the screen.</em>
</p><p>Leo Bad Boy Supreme</p><p>
  <em>What a ridiculous name he’d given himself on her phone. And despite it all, Piper actually laughed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She accepted the call.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I got your text,” Leo’s sleepy voice traveled through the phone. “Why don’t we go for a walk? Share a joint? Or three?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Leo had never been the one to sit and offer Piper deep and thoughtful advice on the difficulties of life, never been the one to get philosophical about it. But that's exactly what Piper loved about him. Piper wanted a friend, not a therapist. And Leo was the best of those. She never even had to explain anything to him if she didn’t want to, he never pressed to hear the details or try to understand what had made her so upset. More often than not, Piper never told him anything. She just reached out when she needed a hand to grab onto, and his hand was always there. </p><p>Especially when she’d needed him most. No one else had been able to be there for her the way that Leo had been after her mother’s death. No one could understand a loss like that, no matter how hard they tried, until they felt it themselves. She wouldn’t even wish it upon Drew. Or her childhood tutor. </p><p>She was grateful for Leo. </p><p>“Hey! Sorry, our meeting ran over!” Jason’s voice called out as he jogged toward her and her BMW, snapping Piper out of her head. </p><p>“What were you planning in there, soccer strategies or a political campaign?” Piper teased, Leo laughing as he got into the back seat of her car. </p><p>As Piper went to open the driver’s seat for herself, Jason stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.</p><p>“I don’t even get a kiss?” He smiled at her. </p><p>Piper complied, as she had done so many times in the past couple months, the movements now mapped in her head, step by step, like she was a machine carrying out the orders that were coded in her.</p><p>“So you’re coming with us?” Jason asked Leo, after Piper pulled away and proceeded to take her place in the driver's seat. </p><p>“Yeah Piper’s going to drop me off at East Houston so I can meet up with Calypso,” Leo replied after Jason had buckled into the passenger seat. </p><p>“Oh is this the same girl that goes to school downtown?” </p><p>Piper backed out of her parallel park and started down toward the FDR, as Jason and Leo continued their conversation, which is the kind of background noise Piper had become accustomed to. </p><p>She was truly thankful for her friends, and that included Jason. He was the sweetest, kindest, most genuine and caring boy Piper had ever met. But he wasn’t just her friend.</p><p>And that just made her drown deeper in her guilt. It filled up her lungs until they felt like they were about to burst from the pressure. As Jason reached over the dashboard to take Piper’s hand, while continually teasing Leo about his new girlfriend, all Piper could think about were Khione’s icy hands. </p><p>Khione. So cold, not just in her touch but in her heart, too. The ice-queen, people at school called her. Her reputation preceded her. Piper knew Khione was not the best choice she’d made in her life. And that was telling, considering her life was a pyramid of poor choices. But she didn’t care that they had nothing in common, or that she couldn’t bear to hear the way Khione talked about people, or that Khione’s best friend was the one making Piper’s life a living hell. None of that mattered. All that mattered was that after 17 years she had <em> someone </em> who wanted the same thing she wanted. Someone who didn’t make her feel like she was some absolute freak, or that she had to bear this secret alone. </p><p>And worst of all, when she thought of Khione, all she really felt was Jason’s inevitable pain. Whether or not he ever found out about her betrayal, this wouldn’t end well for him.</p><p>Piper was a coward. She used Jason as someone to hide behind, so she could carry on doing what she wanted behind his back while his front was busy shielding her transgressions. The worst part was, it wasn’t even an agreed upon arrangement. She never asked for his permission. He thought she just liked being protected by him, and he was so trustful of her, he never even looked over his shoulder to see what she was really up to. </p><p>The shame was beginning to consume her, but years of suppression had made her cravings for someone like Khione impossible to ignore. And once she’d finally had a taste, she couldn’t walk away from it. </p><p>She drove down the FDR now, the river racing by her to her left. She imagined, just for this one moment, that all her thoughts were flying away, disappearing with the river as it flew by her window. Jason was blasting Bohemian Rhapsody as Leo yelled along to the song. </p><p>
  <em>Is this the real life?</em>
</p><p>
  <em> Is this just fantasy? </em>
</p><p>And despite it all, Leo’s singing was so ridiculous, Piper let out a laugh. A full, booming laugh, as Jason’s joined in the chorus too. </p><p>
  <em>Caught in a landslide,</em>
</p><p>
  <em> No escape from reality. </em>
</p><p>And then all three of them were singing, at the top of their lungs. It didn’t matter that Piper’s throat was sore from all the screaming  the night before. It didn’t matter that she didn’t believe she even deserved to be in this moment. </p><p>
  <em>Open your eyes,</em>
</p><p>
  <em> Look up to the skies and see, </em>
</p><p>This was one of those rare instances in her life when she felt able to break away, just for a brief moment, from the chains that had been holding her down for as long as she could remember. The chains that kept piling on, that she kept locking herself up with. </p><p>
  <em> I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Because I'm easy come, easy go, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Little high, little low, </em>
</p><p>The guilt and the pain numbed itself for just long enough that she was able to feel anything else. She looked over at Jason, and over at Leo through her rear view mirror. Their bright smiles tugged at her heart, and left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. </p><p>The two boys bursted out the song, laughing through the whole thing, as if it was coming from their souls. They seemed so weightless, like all their problems were being ejected out the louder they sang. Like it didn't matter that Leo and his dad were struggling to meet their rent, and it didn't matter that Jason was walking into a future he didn’t sign up for. </p><p>How did they do that? Piper could only hope that someday she would master the art. That one day, she could live in and feel a moment like this, and be truly present in life’s scarce tastes of freedom. Though it didn’t seem like it just yet, she was slowly but surely learning. </p><p>
  <em> Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me,  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> To me. </em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: *Gilead: the fictional dystopian state in Handmaid’s Tale. Used to be the East Coast of USA.<br/>*Wives: One of the three categories women are sorted into in the Handmaid’s tale. Wives are the ones with the most privileges. </p><p>Hope you liked this chapter. So sorry for the long wait, but this chapter was pretty long, I hope that helps a little lol. As a woman of color myself I thought it important that if Piper and Annabeth’s relationship is going to be a genuine connection later on in the story, it had to progress in a way that also highlights Annabeth’s white privilege, as the book Annabeth does have a lot of issues with this, and I want my characters to slowly progress out of it. I also don’t want to ignore things like that, you know? To me, it’s an important part of this Piper’s identity, along with being a kick ass soccer player, a troubled kid, funny and charming, and yes, gay. So this will be one of the aspects that come in and out of play in the story. Hope you like it so far :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Kaleidoscope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>I wouldn’t know where to start<br/></em> <em>Sweet music playing in the dark<br/></em> <em>Be still my foolish heart<br/></em> <em>Don’t ruin this on me<br/></em> <em>— Almost (Sweet Music), Hozier</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u"> Annabeth </span>
</p><p> </p><p>“I still can’t believe it,” Percy chuckled, shaking his head, “Piper McLean? Of all the people who could have been assigned to you.”</p><p>They were sitting on the window sill in Annabeth’s bedroom, the window open as Percy smoked his second joint of the day. Her room wasn’t a mess, but it wasn’t particularly tidy either, with her cluttered desk and unmade bed. There was no need to look presentable when it was only Percy, she couldn’t fool him anyway. </p><p>“What about it?” Annabeth asked this as if she were genuinely clueless, but she perfectly understood his implication. Annabeth hadn’t exactly kept her distaste for Piper a secret from her friends, especially not Percy. </p><p>It had been weeks since their first session together, after which Annabeth had seen Piper for three more Fridays, all of which had been even more intriguing than the last. Piper had managed to catch Annabeth off guard at every turn, both in discussing the material, and in revealing her own disposition. Every time Annabeth thought she had something figured out, the brunette would turn another corner, leading Annabeth down a path she hadn’t known was there. </p><p>Percy regarded the blonde for a moment. </p><p>“You tell me,” He tilted his head to the side, intrigue glinting in his green eyes, “You’ve been tutoring her for weeks now, and suddenly all the bitching from the last three years –”</p><p>“– I did not <em> bitch </em>–” </p><p>“– All the <em> bitching </em> from the last three years just stopped? You had so much to say before, so much criticism even though you’d never even spoken to her.”</p><p>“So?” Annabeth asked defiantly. </p><p><em> “So,” </em> Percy shot back at her mockingly, “when you told me she was going to be your pupil – well, I imagined one hour a week with her would have made you double down on the character assassination –”</p><p>“–I <em> did not </em>assassinate–” </p><p>“I was ready to hear you moan about her arrogance,” He pressed on, smirking down at Annabeth, “But instead, you’ve been unusually quiet on the topic of our famed athlete. I wonder why that is?” He asked the question, but Annabeth didn’t like the way he smiled at her, like he already knew the answer. It made no sense, there was nothing to know. </p><p>“What’s your point here, seaweed brain?” Annabeth rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Well I guess i'm just wondering if maybe, now that you’ve actually met her, you might have realized your judgment was a bit too harsh?” </p><p>Annabeth wanted to smack that smirk right off his face. </p><p>“Or maybe I realized that if I have to work with her, I might as well accept the situation rather than spend all my time complaining.” She snapped back. Of course, the truth was as Percy stated, but she was having trouble admitting that. </p><p>“Ah,” Percy turned away from her, clearly still trying to hold back his laughter, “of course. Couldn’t possibly be that she’s not as unpleasant as you once thought, and maybe you've taken a liking–”</p><p>“I have not taken a liking.” Annabeth cut him off sternly, “Nor did I say she was unpleasant. Yes, maybe I was too harsh before, fine. She’s intelligent, she’s passionate, and she’s good company, but she’s still not the kind of person I could ever imagine befriending. She’s still an arrogant, entitled ass who –” </p><p>Percy’s laugh cut her off, loud and unrestrained now.</p><p>“There it is.” He chuckled, but it was more to himself than to Annabeth, who didn’t understand what was so funny.</p><p>“What?” She huffed at him.</p><p>“Nothing,” He chuckled, shaking his head at the twilight sky out her window, as if he were exchanging glances with God, like, <em> Can you believe this girl? </em> </p><p>He put out the joint in a ceramic ashtray that had been a gift from Rachel to Annabeth. It was handmade by her, and hand painted with bright vermillion, cyans and pinks; roses and doves danced against a great blue sky. Annabeth hadn’t used it at all for the first few weeks she’d had it, not wanting to stain the pretty colors with gray ash. It wasn’t hard, since she rarely needed an ashtray, but the first time she’d let Percy use it – <em> that </em> was hard to watch. The end of the cigarette had dragged across the base, leaving an ashy mark in its wake, like mixing black paint into a pastel piece, making the colors drab and muddy, ruining all the beauty that once was.</p><p> </p><p>––– <b>A</b> ––– </p><p> </p><p>The sun was now long gone, and Percy went with it, neither to be seen again until the morning. Tomorrow was Friday, which meant Annabeth would be seeing Piper again. The thought made her stomach feel funny, like she’d just gone down a drop on a roller coaster. </p><p>She lay awake in bed, unable to get her earlier conversation with Percy out of her head. It had only been five minutes out of the two hours they’d spent together, but she was hooked onto it. </p><p>The house was dead silent, her parents and siblings fast asleep – oh, how she envied them. The crickets outside were making her crazy. Just one of those nights where the dial on her ADHD had been turnt all the way up. She’d never been the hyperactive type, but she was ten outta ten for easily distracted. She would hyper fixate on her distractions, ironically being able to focus only on external or internal elements that were <em> not </em> the task at hand, in this case, sleeping. Whether it was on sounds, or thoughts, she’d find herself paralyzed by them, unable to do anything else, and especially not sleep. Then again, with her affliction, she’d likely be paralyzed even if she did manage to fall asleep. </p><p>She just couldn’t win. </p><p>And so she delved into her thoughts to try and get away from the croaking crickets. Or, her thoughts pulled her in as she tried to hold on to the sound of crickets to keep herself from drowning. She wasn’t sure which was happening, or if both were happening simultaneously.</p><p>In any case, she found herself reliving the conversation with Percy over and over again in her head. Annabeth couldn’t shake how annoyed she’d felt with him, with his smirks, his witty comments, and his knowing looks. She hated how he had acted like he was onto something, especially when there was nothing to catch on to. </p><p>Yes, Piper had surprised Annabeth. She was not the person Annabeth had painted her as, and yes, Annabeth felt guilt tug at her everytime Piper did or said something to further prove that painting wrong. She wasn’t rude or particularly inattentive, she didn’t waste Annabeth’s time in sessions, and she genuinely engaged in the material. She cared about passing the class, and had shown passion for a lot of different topics during their discussions over the book. She did the readings, and came prepared enough for the last three sessions, just as she had been prepared for the first one. </p><p>But, she was still also an arrogant and entitled rich kid – that hadn’t changed. Her reputation as a ‘party animal’, the rumors about her getting in legal trouble, blowing money, getting in fights (one of which Annabeth had actually witnessed in Sophomore year on a walk home from school), and her disruptive nature in the one and only class room Annabeth had ever shared with her – these things didn’t disappear just because she’d proven to be good company one-on-one. </p><p>Annabeth knew she had been unfair in judging Piper as a one-dimensional trust fund baby. There was a lot more to the athlete, like any other person in the world. In the last couple of weeks Annabeth had come to admit to herself that maybe she was just projecting the resentment of her own less-than-lavish lifestyle onto Piper. </p><p>However, the girl <em> was </em>still a trust fund baby, and she was still a trouble maker. That much Annabeth had always gotten right, and she wouldn’t concede. She was ready for newer, wilder stories to pop up by the end of their senior year – all the ways in which Piper Mclean and her Bougie Breakfast Club celebrated their last year in the hell-hole that was Half-Blood Hills High. She couldn’t imagine she’d be surprised at any obnoxious stunts Piper pulled by the time the school year was over. </p><p>Annabeth was grateful for someone to have intelligent conversation with regarding The Handmaid’s Tale, from feminist theory to fascism, but beyond that she didn’t know Piper well enough to decide she suddenly liked her despite all she’d heard. She was sure she never would. </p><p>As Annabeth lay in bed, thoughts consumed by a girl she claimed to not even like, she slowly began to drift into dream, falling into two ever-changing kaleidoscope orbs, colors dancing and shifting around her like magic. </p><p> </p><p>––– <b>A </b>–––</p><p> </p><p>The school day seemed to stretch out to infinity, as it felt every Friday. So close to freedom and yet the closer you’d get the further the finish line seemed to move. Annabeth never understood how two days was an apt amount of time for a break compared to five days of endless labor.</p><p>The teachers drawled on, the workload for the day seemed to pile higher than ever before, and the clocks moved so slowly and wonkily, one might have thought one was in a Dali dream.</p><p>After third period (god how had only three periods gone by?), Annabeth caught up with her favorite redhead in the hallway. </p><p>“Hey blondie,” Rachel smiled as Annabeth fell in stride next to her, “What class you have now?”</p><p>“Free period, but Will asked me to come by the auditorium to help them with the set design for their show.”</p><p>“Ugh, I never took you for a theatre kid,” Rachel feigned disgust.</p><p>“Says the drama queen,” Annabeth chuckled, swinging open the door to the little girls room, Rachel following her in. “But I’m no theatre kid, believe me. I can’t act or sing for shit. But I <em> can </em>help Will with his back drops. Not as good as you probably could –”</p><p>“Oh, hush, I’d make a mess of everything, trying to add my own <em> vision </em> to it,” the tiny redhead pulled a mini mascara out of her pocket and turned to the mirror on the back wall as she began to apply it, “You’re the best person for the job. You’ll be able to give Will what he wants, but better. If it was me he’d ask for a forest backdrop and I’d end up painting some acid trip forest with 5 foot tall mushrooms.”</p><p>Annabeth laughed, “You do have a tendency to lose sight of the objective, but I’ve never seen a reason to complain about that. Personally, I’d love to see Romeo and Juliet take place in front of an acid trip forest.”</p><p>“You’d be the only one, blondie,” Rachel clutched her chest dramatically, intensity rising in her expression, “Not everyone <em> gets </em> my work the way you do.”</p><p>Then they both burst out laughing. </p><p>“Like I said, Drama Queen,” Annabeth giggled.</p><p>“According to Percy, the only <em> Queen </em> you’ll be crossing paths with today is Will,” Rachel put her mascara back in her pocket and turned back to face Annabeth, voice falling into an aggressive whisper.</p><p>“Wait? He told you, too?” Annabeth whisper-shouted back.</p><p>“Yes! Well no, I happened upon his messages this summer –”</p><p>“Oh you <em> happened </em> upon them did you?” Annabeth raised an eyebrow. </p><p>“I was just trying to airdrop myself some sunset pics I took on his phone,” Rachel replied defensively, still trying to keep her voice low. “You’re telling me that you wouldn’t have clicked it if you’d seen a message from Will Solace pop up, saying “<em> Parents out tonight, come over? </em>” with a winky face?” </p><p>Annabeth was trying so hard not to laugh. The idea of little theatre kid Will being so emboldened and flirtatious with Percy made her stomach cramp up from holding in her giggles. </p><p>“Exactly,” Rachel said smugly, “And hey, I didn’t read any of their other texts, I just had to check if what I was seeing was real. Anyway, I <em> did </em> come clean to Percy immediately, ‘cause of guilt and all that bullshit. Then he told the truth.”</p><p>“So you knew all summer?” Annabeth was honestly impressed Rachel had managed to keep a secret from her for that long.</p><p>“Oh man, you got no idea how bad I wanted to tell you, but Percy made me promise. Said you were Will’s neighbor and all so it might get awkward, that he’d tell you when he was ready.”</p><p>“Makes sense,” Annabeth nodded, “Though I ended up finding out for myself,” she smirked, “Those two weren’t exactly subtle, with Percy climbing out Will’s fire escape every morning, pants in hand.”</p><p>That visual got full blown tears out of Rachel.</p><p>“Oof,” she let out as she caught her breath, “You got no idea how relieved I felt when Percy told me you knew, I have been <em> dying </em> to talk to you about this,” Rachel squealed, just as the bell rang signaling the start of 4th period. </p><p>“Ugh,” She rolled her green eyes as she turned back to the door, “Okay we’ll have to talk about it later, but <em> oh </em> how I can’t believe Percy finally got himself some action. A good thing too, he was starting to get snappy with me last semester, all that pent up sexual frustration. Like sorry, was it my fault you can’t get laid? I’d have helped him out but he's, like, afraid of vaginas or whatever.” </p><p>Annabeth laughed out, uninhibited and loud, the kind of laugh only her best friends could get out of her, as she stumbled out the bathroom behind Rachel. The two went into another giggling fit, making jokes at Percy’s expense as was their favorite pass time both in and out of his presence. </p><p>And suddenly, Annabeth got the feeling that there were eyes on her. She looked up mid-giggle and locked on to kaleidoscope irises. Glittering greens, warm browns, bright gold. And as hard as Annabeth tried to tear her eyes away, they stayed glued to the eyes of the brunette girl watching her from across the hall with a small smile on her face. Annabeth almost believed she might be dreaming again. Eyes like that couldn’t be real, could they? </p><p>Their eye contact only lasted for about 5 seconds before Annabeth walked past her and she was out of sight – but in that moment, why did 5 seconds feel like forever?</p><p> </p><p>––– <b>A</b> –––</p><p> </p><p>Will Solace was distraught. He barely noticed Annabeth, whisking right past her toward one of the freshmen, Pollux, hissing at him to hurry up and help his twin brother Castor set up the props. The twins were clearly eager to please Will, since he was a sophomore and was co director of the play this year. That was refreshing, it seemed, as Annabeth had heard that Will had managed to convince Mr. D, their director and head of the Theatre department, to do something other than <em> Romeo and Juliet </em> . Instead, they were now doing <em> Mama Mia! </em>. </p><p>Will rushed around the stage, through the rows of seats, all over the auditorium to pass out jobs and responsibilities to his peers. Annabeth was almost afraid to make her presence known, with how anxious Will seemed. She was sure she’d get snapped at, too. So she resigned to lurk in the back row and watch until Will seemed calm enough to be approached. </p><p>“I hate it when he gets like this.”</p><p>Annabeth almost jumped out of her skin before she turned toward the voice and saw Nico Di Angelo standing to her right, disheveled black hair and all. She was sure he hadn’t been there just a moment ago. It was as if he’d materialized from the shadows. It would have been easy for him to blend in, what with the boy always being dressed in black from head to toe. The kid had a knack for lurking, even better than Annabeth. </p><p>“He works himself up too much. He loves theatre, but I think the stress he takes on keeps him from enjoying it,” Nico observed, his eyes following Will’s frantic movements around the stage. </p><p>Nico Di Angelo was a sophomore, like Will, and little brother to Bianca Di Angelo, who was in Annabeth’s year. Annabeth had been going to the Di Angelo’s house to work on science projects with Bianca since freshman year. By now one would think she’d have gotten used to Nico sneaking up on her, that she would see him coming, but the guy was always silent as a grave. </p><p>“You’re pretty observant,” She remarked. When she didn’t hear a sarcastic comment in response, she turned to look at the shorter boy, and found his usually pale complexion going beet red. </p><p>“He’s my friend, I was just pointing it out,” Nico mumbled.</p><p>Annabeth barely had time to wonder what that was all about, before Will, now only a few rows below her, finally noticed her presence. </p><p>“Oh my gosh, thank god you're here Annabeth! Come, follow me backstage, there’s so much to get started on,” Will ushered her and started jetting down the aisle between the seats before Annabeth had even made it out of her row, his curly blonde mop bouncing at the back of his head. “You too Nico!” He called out behind him. </p><p>The smaller boy seemed surprised to be called upon, but accompanied Annabeth down the steps toward the stage nonetheless. </p><p>Behind the velvet curtain, things were even more chaotic. Half-finished props were placed all around, completely mismatched so Annabeth couldn’t tell what any single item was actually for, while costume designers ran after the actors trying to get their measurements. The star of the show, Calypso Atlas, sat at one of the vanities, talking to one of the artists in great detail about how they should do her makeup. And all the way to her right, near the emergency exit back into the hallway, sat Mr. D, with an Hawaiian shirt on, a suspicious soda can in hand and floppy sandals, doing literally nothing.</p><p>Annabeth had heard about the theatre teacher many times before, and how no one knew how he had gotten or managed to keep the job. Lazy, rude, drunk and uninterested were only a few descriptors she had heard before, but now she could see the real thing for herself, and she suddenly understood why Will was so on edge. He may be co-director in name, but he was running this thing. </p><p>“Okay,” Will turned to Annabeth with a smile now, after going off on a freshman for bringing him the wrong shortlist for understudies, “You’re here!”</p><p>“I’m here!” She exclaimed, smiling and hoping he couldn’t tell she was just a little afraid of him right now.</p><p>“And I’m here,” Nico interjected drearily, “Why is that?” </p><p>“Well, <em> you </em> are here because I need a special favor from you,” Suddenly, Will seemed like the one who was a little scared.</p><p>“What… special favor?” Nico’s skepticism went from zero to a hundred, taking a step back from Will like he sensed something bad coming.</p><p>Will took a deep breath, “Adam broke his arm playing football, so we’re down one out of three dads.” </p><p>“And what does that have to do with me?” Nico’s voice got even more suspicious, if that was possible, coiling away from Will more and more. Nico either hadn’t caught on, or was trying to pretend it wasn’t happening, but Annabeth knew what Will was about to ask of his friend. She wished she had some popcorn. Her eyes darted back and forth between the boys, waiting, anticipating. </p><p>“Well, we haven’t had a chance to pick all the understudies yet for the supporting roles, and we haven't even had the chance to so much as <em> audition </em> understudies for Adam. I was hoping maybe you could –”</p><p>“Don’t even finish that sentence –”</p><p>“– Nico –”</p><p>“I came here to support you on the first day of rehearsal! Not to be duped into –”</p><p>“<em> Who </em>is duping you, I’m asking you as a friend –”</p><p>“– No true friend of mine would ever ask this of me –”</p><p>“You’re so dramatic!” Will exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air, exasperated. But then his face lit up, “See! You’d be perfect –”</p><p>“– How dare you insinuate –”</p><p>“– <em> Please! –” </em></p><p>“Okay hold up!” Annabeth stepped in between the two boys. It took all her strength to break up the argument, being as it was the best entertainment she’d had all day. </p><p>“Listen,” She turned to Nico and spoke gently as she could, like when you try not to scare away a stray cat you want to pet, “Would it really be the worst thing in the world for you to do this? I –”</p><p>“Yes.” the somber little boy folded his arms defiantly.</p><p>“Okay,” Annabeth sighed, then looked Nico right in the eye and continued, “Think about it for a second. Just the other day I was at your place and Bianca gave you a whole lecture about how you need to get more involved in school and making friends. I could tell you hated every second of it. And that won't be the last time. But something like this? This would get her off your back for the rest of your high school life.” </p><p>“Yes! You complained about that lecture the whole day after,” Will chimed in, “This would <em> totally </em> get her off your back. And you’d have me the whole way. I’d help you with how to get rid of stage fright, how to deal with any nerves, and anything that scares you from doing stuff like this. I will help you with all the acting, and you’re a fast learner anyway! That’s why you’re the best option I can get right now. I trust you. I’ll help you, and you’ll help me?” </p><p>This seemed to catch Nico’s attention, as he turned his brown eyes back on Will. Annabeth caught a hint of something in those dark eyes, as Will continued listing out the ways he would help Nico if he decided to do him this favor. It almost seemed like… excitement? </p><p>Not that his facial expressions gave any of that away – his face still looked grave as a gargoyle’s to anyone who didn’t know how to read him. Annabeth wasn’t some Nico-whisperer, but she had a better idea than most about when he was feeling more than he was letting on, having seen him interact with his sister since he was a middle schooler. Watching two siblings interact with each other in their natural habitat could teach you a lot about both people. </p><p>Nico sighed deeply, before he finally looked back at Annabeth, and then again at Will, and said, “Which dad do I have to be?” </p><p>Annabeth could tell Will was trying to hold in his excitement, so as not to annoy Nico into changing his mind, But he couldn’t hold back his huge goofy grin. “Harry Bright!”</p><p>And just like that Nico’s face was once again taking on that shade of red Annabeth had seen just a few moments ago. </p><p>“The <em> gay </em>one?” The shorter boy exclaimed. Annabeth hoped he hadn’t meant to sound so revolted by the idea, but that is exactly how it came off. Like the idea of playing the ‘gay’ character was abhorrent to him. </p><p>“Yeah?” Will’s voice had lost its enthusiasm, “Why?”</p><p>Will’s reaction seemed to catch Nico off guard just as much as Nico’s reaction had caught the two blondes off guard. Suddenly the smaller boy looked confused and a little embarrassed. </p><p>“Oh, nothing,” Nico tried to backtrack, “I just – I’m straight so why would I play a gay character, Y’know?” He tried for a chuckle but Will wasn’t smiling anymore. </p><p>“Because it’s a character. It’s <em> acting </em> , playing <em> pretend </em>,” Will raised an eyebrow, clearly vexed now, “and it doesn’t have anything to do with what you are or aren’t.”</p><p>Nico was silent for a moment, and Annabeth thought she’d never felt more awkward in her life. Knowing what she did about Will, she could see why Nico’s comment would be bothersome. But Nico didn’t know about Will, and Will had no clue that Annabeth did. </p><p>“Sorry,” Nico looked down at his shoes, “I didn’t mean to, like, be offensive. If you need someone to play Harry, I guess I can help you.”</p><p>“You guess?” Will raised an eyebrow in question. </p><p>“Okay fine, I <em> will </em>.” Nico rolled his eyes. </p><p>“Good.” Said Will.</p><p>“Good.” Nico replied.</p><p>No one said anything for another moment that was far too long for Annabeth, so she spoke up, turning to Will, “So Mr. Director, sir, what’s the first order of business for me?” </p><p>Will seemed to relax a bit and let out a laugh, “I’m not the director.”</p><p>“You basically are,” Annabeth shrugged, nodding over to Mr. D, now snoozing in his chair by the exit. </p><p>“Yeah,” Nico chimed in, “And you’ll be way better at it than him. You’ll be way better at it than any of the last few students who just made a worse version of Romeo and Juliet every year.” </p><p>Will smiled at Nico, a genuine smile with gratitude, and Nico smiled back. Annabeth’s shoulders relaxed a little as the tension left the air around them. </p><p>Then Will turned to Annabeth and dropped an arm around her shoulder, leading her further to the back. “As for you, let me get you over to the materials and paints you can use to get started on backdrops with the other painters. Thanks again for agreeing to help out.”</p><p> </p><p>––– <b>A </b>–––</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> 3:10 PM </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 3:11 PM </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 3:12 PM </em>
</p><p>Annabeth just started at the clock as the minutes went by, paralyzed by her own restlessness – ADHD was an endless contradiction. </p><p>Piper hadn’t been late to a class since the first time. Annabeth had thought the girl had learned her lesson. Clearly, she had been wrong. And she had been stupid. People like Piper don’t ‘learn their lesson’. They get away with things, and so they keep doing those thing over and over, with no regard for –</p><p>“Hey sorry I’m late! But I promise I have a really good reason!” </p><p>Long legs clad in black corduroys made their way over the threshold, cutting off Annabeth’s internal rant. Her anger was abandoned as she took in the image in front of her.</p><p>The first thing to catch the bitter blonde’s attention were elegantly toned arms being shown off in a grey muscle tee. She knew Piper was in shape (this was expected of an athlete) but she’d never seen her arms on full display before. They were lean, not bulgy or glaringly obvious; There was something graceful and feminine about how it looked on her, but you could tell the sculpted muscles weren’t just for aesthetic. She was strong, toned and tan like– </p><p>“Earth to Annabeth?” Piper cocked an eyebrow as Annabeth snapped her eyes up to Piper’s face, but it wasn’t fast enough. </p><p>Mortified, Annabeth watched as Piper looked down at her own arms where Annabeth had been ogling, and then back up. A smirk joined the cocked eyebrow, and Annabeth was ready to die. </p><p>“It’s all about the right workout routine,” Piper smiled knowingly, “there are ways to gain muscle without looking like The fucking Rock, y’know? I could share my routine with you –I mean, I’m assuming you’re interested since you seemed so fascinated just now.” </p><p>Annabeth cleared her throat loudly before pretending to hastily arrange a lesson plan on the desk that she had already arranged before Piper came in. </p><p>“The reason,” Annabeth said, without looking up, trying to seem as nonchalant as she could, “What is it?”</p><p>“Hm? Oh! Oh my god, okay,” Piper’s voice filled with excitement as she dragged out a chair from the desk and sat on it, practically bouncing. It was enough to make Annabeth forget her own embarrassment, as she looked back up at Piper with curiosity. </p><p>“What?” Annabeth inquired.</p><p>“Okay, well, Ms. Dodds had asked me to meet her in her office immediately after school, said she had my paper. Oh my god Annabeth, when I tell you the anxiety I’ve had all day–,” Annabeth’s own anxiety was skyrocketing at the moment, waiting for Piper to get to the point–, “I basically assumed it <em> must </em> have been bad news right? She wanted to tell me to my face I was never going to make it past the 12th grade, obviously,” Piper talked fast when she was excited, and with double the animation, Annabeth noticed, “But then I got there, and she looked <em> pissed </em>, and she always looks pissed but this time it wasn’t her generic ‘I hate you and seeing you ruined my day’. No. Like, she was upset like she’d lost a game. I thought she’d be gloating, you know? But there she was, like a sore loser, handing me my paper,” Piper’s face split in a huge goofy grin. Annabeth got so lost in it for a moment, she almost forgot to ask an important question.</p><p>“Wait, so what was the grade on the paper?” Annabeth jumped back into her senses, forcing herself to focus on the objective, on her job. Her <em> job </em> to help Piper pass literature. Nothing more, nothing less. </p><p>Piper just kept smiling, and without a word zipped open her backpack, pulled out two sheets of paper stapled together, and handed them over to Annabeth. Annabeth took them into her hands and flipped over to the second page to see a giant ‘A-’ in red.</p><p>“Oh my god!” Annabeth’s head shot back up to meet Piper’s eyes, shining with accomplishment. </p><p>Something in Annabeth’s chest started to ache, watching that perfect smile and the glow in her cheeks; The jewel tones in her eyes swirling around as they looked up and back down, as the light shifted at different angles, as those angles changed, as the shadows hit – exactly like a kaleidoscope. Beautiful and impossible to make sense of. </p><p>The next sentence came out softer.</p><p>“That’s amazing Piper,” Annabeth smiled up at her gently, “I’m so happy for you.”</p><p>The ache wasn’t going away.</p><p>Piper smiled back, “I couldn’t have done it without you.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s not true. Sure I gave you a little push on how to get started, how to organize, but if I’m being honest, out of all the kids I tutor, you need it the least,” Annabeth assured her. </p><p>“No, it is true,” Piper insisted, “Yeah, I’m not particularly bad at or uninterested in writing papers, I know my main problem has always been more of a lack of motivation. But you seriously helped me get better at both, and this was only my first assignment. Really, Annabeth, you’re an amazing teacher.” </p><p>Annabeth could feel her cheeks grow warm. Unsure of what to say, she just let out a little laugh and smile. She mentally kicked herself for being so awkward with compliments.<br/><br/>“And I want to thank you for it,” Piper added on.</p><p>“You just did?” Annabeth retorted. </p><p>“No, like a proper thank you. Like maybe, take you out to lunch kind of ‘thank you’?” Piper’s words were wrapped in a layer of caution, like she was ready to reel the words back into her mouth at any moment. </p><p>“Oh,” was all Annabeth could manage. God, why was she like this? She wanted to say yes, her heart had already betrayed that to herself. But her mind caged her in a jail of anxiety. This was not a situation she had ever thought she would be in, wanting so badly to hang out with the very girl she’d been spending the years judging and criticizing. It was such text-book hypocrisy, she could laugh. </p><p>Suddenly Piper shifted in her seat and cleared her throat loudly. </p><p>“I mean, I’m sure you’re totally swamped with your own life,” Piper started to say,  “You’ve probably already got plans. So if you can’t, that’s totally fine too, just thought I’d–”</p><p>“I’d love to,” Annabeth interjected before she even processed the words. Despite every brain cell yelling at her that this was dangerous territory, Annabeth stuck by what she’d said. It was her honest answer. She would love to.</p><p>“Oh,” Piper’s shoulders relaxed, “Oh okay, awesome,” She smiled, “Well, why don’t you give me your number and I can text you?”</p><p>“Or you can give me yours,” Annabeth challenged. The confidence came out of nowhere, but it felt good, and necessary. If she was going to be friends with someone like Piper McLean, she would have to hold her own. </p><p>Piper’s surprised look quickly turned to one of intrigue, as she nodded, “Sure.”</p><p>Annabeth handed over her phone as Piper punched in the numbers and handed it back. </p><p>“Well,” Annabeth sighed as she slipped her phone back into her bag, “Should we get started?”</p><p>“You’re the boss,” Piper leaned back in her chair and smirked cheekily at the blonde. </p><p>Annabeth rolled her eyes as she set her copy of <em> The Handmaid's Tale </em> out on the table. “Let’s start with why it was an A <em> minus </em> and not a <em> plus </em>.” </p><p> </p><p>––– <b>A</b> –––</p><p> </p><p>Annabeth was on her way home by around 4:15 PM that evening. She was waiting at a crosswalk, staring at the red hand, feeling rather impatient in the brisk air. The sun was still shining, the day still bright. It would start getting dark by this time in a few weeks. She tried her best to enjoy it while it lasted.</p><p>She was crossing an Avenue, and god knows those intersections take forever. Out of pure boredom and curiosity, no other reason, she slipped her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her contact list. Then she landed upon what she was really looking for, a recent addition to the list. </p><p>She knew it probably didn’t mean anything, but her heart couldn’t stop singing every time she looked at the way the contact name had been saved. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>Piper :) &lt;3</em> </b>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: Okay, not gonna lie, I think the ending here is pretty cute. Sorry there isn't that much Pipabeth in this one, I promise the next chapter will be though. I want to give a huge thank you to everyone here on AO3 who is supporting this fic, your comments make my day when I see them so thank you so much! </p><p>I will try to do more regular updates, it’s just that I write really long chapters and try to proofread them as much as I can so you guys can have a good version. There’s still mistakes I’m sure, but I try my best. I also lost my job in November but it's okay because I just started at a new one this week! That means less stress and hopefully more writing, since I won’t feel guilty for spending time on this instead of job searches lol. Thanks again for all the support on this fic!</p>
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